As one of the very first craft beers in New England, it felt only right to celebrate both the original South Boston and the Windsor, Vermont breweries on the pack. “Harpoon IPA had built up a unique set of iconic assets, but this set of tools failed to fully relay their incredibly unique brand narrative in the crowded craft cooler.

Chase carefully evolved key brand equities, including the vibrant blue background, orange accents, and the Harpoon logo while adding new illustrative elements to the pack. This proud heritage of Harpoon as the original IPA of New England needed to be expressed through its packaging.

Its employee-owned breweries located in Boston, MA and Windsor, VT, focus on community involvement and a passion for charity. The Chase design team began by digging into what separates Harpoon from the competition. They turned to creative agency Chase Design Group to help communicate the brand’s personality, and express its values with breakthrough design. Harpoon Brewery decided it was time for a redesign that would help it stand out in the category and tell its unique story. As a result, it became harder for Harpoon to distinguish itself and grab the attention of new consumers. Throughout the years, the craft beer category ballooned with new offerings and specifically new IPAs.

At its onset, Harpoon IPA, New England’s original IPA, was one of only a handful of craft beers brewed on the east coast, and it quickly became a bestseller known for its “easy-drinking” flavor profile. 'Since the original launch of Harpoon IPA in 1993, the craft beer aisle has grown exponentially. Led by Chase Design Group, the design team leaned into the existing brand assets and evolved them. So we were pretty surprised in the past few months to see Harpoon quietly unveil their redesign, as you couldn’t pass a beer cooler without taking notice of it. Some of us call New England home, and the sight of Harpoon is about as common as a Dunkin’ every half a mile.

Harpoon ipa.