Saint-Urbain’s cinema-inspired, nostalgic brand for Can-Tini lives in its own eccentric 1960s space

Tasked with crafting the eccentric-meets-nostalgic identity and packaging for ready-to-drink espresso martini brand Can-Tini, international creative agency Saint-Urbain turned to the silver screen for inspiration; tapping into the creativity of Wes Anderson’s cinematic catalogue and the style of Bond. As a result, Can-Tini’s vibrant brand is a character in itself, living in its own fictional 1960s-like space whilst playing its own distinct role, led by Saint Urbain’s captivating, cursive logomark. “It’s fully custom!” Creative Director Alex Ostroff tells us, championing the individuality of the brand. Using the meticulously crafted, fluidly formed logomark as the centrepiece of the identity, Saint Urbain mirrored its combination of rigour and charisma through their supporting typography – opting for Agrandir and Input Sans Compressed as the dynamic duo of choice. “The title typography is a linear style,” Ostroff explains, discussing the use of Agrangir, “and we wanted something clean and really simple to identify for the name of the product,” whilst also complementing the logomark through the sans serif’s soft, circular forms. In contrast, the rigid, monospaced construction of Input Sans Compressed brings a pragmatic edge to the visual language. “We wanted a touch of industrial and geometric looks in the layout,” he details, “it looks like a technical manual that you would find on an old school ad,” Ostroff notes, “and, for us, it was a part of the vintage feeling” that bleeds across the brand. The period voice exhibited by Saint Urbain’s typographic choices is mirrored in their to-the-point, editorial-like execution of the identity, alongside the whimsical use of colour, having introduced sentimental, retro-ready hues throughout. “For us orange is a big 70s colour that we all loved and just felt right,” Ostroff recalls, utilising the warm tone as the hero colour of Can-Tini. “It’s festive and jovial, contrasting the green perfectly,” he notes, referencing the pre-roasted, green hues of coffee beans, concluding, “we decided to make it darker to give it a little velvet and sophistication,” bringing together Can-Tini’s harmonious blend of contemporary and retro voice.