Amanacer copy — Daniel Santos Design

Amanecer
“Celebrate From Dawn ’Til Dusk”
Project Overview:Amanecer is a narrative-driven tequila brand that modernizes Mexican heritage for the next generation of social "culture-seekers." By blending premium agave roots with vibrant, collectible packaging, the project transforms the traditional spirit into a visual storytelling experience where every flavor serves as a "chapter" of folklore.

Project This project involved creating a modern tequila brand identity that fuses deep Mexican traditions with youthful energy to celebrate culture through narrative-driven packaging.

Role
Brand Identity and Brand Design
Timeline3 Months

Tools
Illustrator, Figma and Photoshop
SizeVariety of Sizes

Brand Book

Goal:

Amanecer is a narrative-driven tequila brand that modernizes Mexican heritage for the next generation of social "culture-seekers." By blending premium agave roots with vibrant, collectible packaging, the project transforms the traditional spirit into a visual storytelling experience where every flavor serves as a "chapter" of folklore.

Narrative :

Each Amanecer expression is crafted as a "chapter" in a living story, utilizing iconic Mexican symbols like the Lobo Azul and Flor de Luna to turn consumption into an immersive experience. By utilizing packaging as collectible art, the brand moves beyond the glass to become a cultural bridge—transforming every social gathering into a moment of storytelling and digital sharing.

Brand Process

Moodboard:

The moodboard style is bold and modern, focusing on urban rooftop parties, close-ups of cocktail mixology, and modern art backdrops to convey contemporary nightlife and energy

Brand Design
Phase 1:

Phase 1:

My design process involved blending the way Aztec culture depicted its deities with contemporary aesthetics and specialized Mexican typography to create a brand that feels both ancient and experimental

Critique Notes

Very good work but minimal exploration
Be careful not to use low res images in the presentation

Brand Design
Phase 2:

Phase 2:

I began experimenting with bold colors and contemporary typefaces to modernize traditional aesthetics. This visual direction mirrors the vibrant, high-energy nature of the product: tequila.

Critique Notes

Very good work but minimal explorationBe careful not to use low res images in the presentation
Flow: Show clean logo first, then technical guides. Layout: Fix text bleeding off page edges
Quality: Replace low-resolution images.
Requirements: Need 4+ applications (must show both 2D flat layout and 3D render for each)
Logo Rules: Establish stricter guidelines; use "type-only" versions for merch stands instead of combined logos
Rationales: Add brief explanations to every slide and at the end of the deck (covering the "why," the "feeling," and the brand connection)
Consistency: Align pop-up shop designs to ensure they don't look too different from the core brand
Thank You Card: Experiment with a large-scale wordmark/logo and darker, more premium color palette

BrandBook Process

Moodboard:

The design employs bold, large-scale graphics to clearly define sections within a clean, sophisticated layout. This approach allows for a high density of information while maintaining a minimalist and highly organized aesthetic.

INspiration:

Inspiration

Modelo: Inspired the use of rich textures and graphics to represent the brand's identity
Jack Daniels: Informed the approach of balancing high-density information with generous negative space
Ford: Served as a reference for clean, minimalist layouts that emphasize and highlight core design elements.

Phase 1:

Simple and modern design that make the information within the main Focus

Critique Notes

Give your header text and body text some more space
For the chapter headers organize them in the same way on the edge or on the bottom
Utilize more of the graphics
Add graphics section
Length of body text needs to be shortened
Remove lines
Missing something from the spreads
Swatch page needs work

Phase 2:

Simple and modern design that make the information within the main Focus

Critique Notes

Text need to be aligned with the top line and not the text box

Made colour section more visually appealing
Made page separation more visually interesting
Changed page headers and page numbers aligned and made there orientation similar

Phase 3:

Phase 3: Assemble the book

Simple and modern design that make the information within the main Focus

Critique Notes

Production Challenges: The project presented significant hurdles, specifically balancing the initial design phase with the technical difficulties of physical construction.

Material Application: A primary challenge involved gluing felt to the cover, which required stretching the fabric to achieve a tight, seamless finish—particularly around the corners.

Interior Detailing: To create a more cohesive aesthetic, floral pattern sheets were added to the interior; these provided visual depth while structurally supporting the perfect-bound contents.

Adhesive Testing: To ensure a secure assembly, an extensive testing phase was conducted on sample book boards using various adhesives, including:

Hot glue
Mod Podge
Tacky glue
Standard glue sticks

Final Construction: Based on the testing results, a combination of three different types of glue was utilized to achieve the most durable and professional final result.

Link to Brand Book