SHOWCASE
BRANDING AND PACKAGING
FOR LA CONFESIÓN
SHIFT
byshift.coBased in Monterrey, Mexico, design
studio Shift has created the identity
and bottle designs for La Confesión, a
premium brand of sotol. This is a plant-
based spirit that’s distilled from sereque- a flowering plant which grows in arid
environments such as northern Mexico.
Sotol dates back to Aztec times and was
“believed to have magic and curative
powers.” Its production was prohibited
during the Mexican Revolution in the
early 20th century, hence the brand name
and an identity that alludes to sotol’s
“unique properties, mystical history, and
heritage; mixing both pre-Hispanic and
colonial elements,” says Shift.
The typefaces reference colonial texts
such as documents, contracts and letters.
These are complemented by textural
labels incorporating foil finishes and
small detailed cuts. The bottle shape is
inspired by Apothecary glassware, using
unusual wide and narrow proportions as
a nod to how sotol was served in ancient
times. “The pattern at the bottom alludes
to the rhombus shapes found in the
sereque plants when cut,” adds Shift.
The label designs on
the La Confesión
bottles are a nod to
colonial literature
from the early
20th century.