Had to pick between a bold slab serif or a clean sans for a brewery label header.

I went with Rockwell for the main name and paired it with a simple Avenir for the details, which felt classic but modern. The client in Portland loved it, said it stood out on the shelf next to all the other craft beers. Do you think a sans-serif header would have been a better choice for a more modern feel?

2 comments

2 Comments

wren30113h ago

Rockwell is a slab serif, not a bold one. It's actually a pretty balanced choice. You got the classic feel from it and the modern touch from Avenir, which is a smart mix. A full sans-serif header might have looked too generic for a craft beer.

jennifer_fisher10h ago

Portland shelves are packed with geometric sans logos, so Rockwell gives that needed texture. @wren301 is right about avoiding a generic look. I saw a local cider use Franklin Gothic for the header with a script secondary, and it just blended in. Your mix uses the slab to grab attention first, then Avenir for the easy to read details. That's what makes a customer pick it up.