Kingsland bottles NYC’s rich spirit and typographic history in their identity for rye brand Jaywalk

“We love the idea of breaking the little rules that don’t matter,” Kingsland's Founder Douglas Brundage tells us. “There’s a fierce independent streak in New Yorkers, and in NYDC as well,” he says, drawing a parallel between the people of the city and their client. This accurately captures the essence of their project, whereby brand studio (and proud New Yorkers) Kingsland were invited to revamp New York Distilling Co.’s (NYDC) successful rye whiskey line, aiding in developing not only a new name but a completely new visual approach, setting sights on both national and global expansion. The fresh moniker draws inspiration from the uniquely American and defiant history of jaywalking, a term popularised in New York City. Historically, this term was employed to castigate those who dared to flout traffic rules and walked across roads in spite of contrary traffic light instructions. This defiant spirit of prioritising common sense over rules struck a chord with the brand’s identity. For instance, unlike other run-of-the-mill rye brands, NYDC takes pride in their singular focus – when it comes to whiskeys, they craft rye and nothing but rye. “Their unique, eccentric approach is indicative of the city that raised them,” Brundage notes, “and a jaunty jaywalk across the street seems like a perfect metaphor for our level of spritely disobedience.” Importantly, the design process was a collaborative effort between many members of Kingsland’s design team. This comprehensive approach culminated in a visual outcome that not only stands out from the typical aesthetics associated with the whiskey market, but also truly embodies the spirit of its New York City origins. “Differentiation on-shelf and in the market in general was a key concern,” Brundage tells us, reflecting on the project. “Considering the American whiskey space is full of Old West motifs and macho symbolism, lots of buffalos and horses and mountains and trains and clichés like that, we wanted to do something minimal and different.”