COORS
Reimagining Coors Light’s packaging to captivate modern consumers, reinforce its signature cold refreshment, and strengthen brand relevance in a competitive market.
What We Did
As craft breweries gained popularity, Coors Light faced a decline in market share. Consumers were gravitating toward smaller, independent brands that offered unique storytelling and bold visual identities, leaving mainstream beer brands struggling to maintain their relevance. In response, Coors Light partnered with RKS Design to explore innovative packaging solutions that would reinvigorate the brand, reconnect with younger consumers, and reinforce its position as the world’s most refreshing beer. The project focused on strategic research, design innovation, and product refinement to create packaging that would stand out in a competitive landscape.
Psycho-Aesthetics™
Product design is more than just winning awards; it’s about creating emotional connections between the product and the user. Our human-centered approach, Psycho-Aesthetics, helps us understand and quantify these connections. RKS Design used its Psycho-Aesthetics methodology to map Coors Light against competitors, positioning it in the upper left quadrant—where authenticity, functionality, and emotional connection drive consumer preference. Insights from user research revealed opportunities to reinforce Coors Light’s identity through packaging that emphasizes cold refreshment, durability, and brand storytelling.
RKS Design applied its advanced Psycho-Aesthetics methodology to uncover the emotional and functional drivers behind beer purchasing decisions. Through extensive user research, including in-home visits, shop-alongs, and party observations, the team identified key consumer pain points—such as concerns over beer staying cold, packaging durability, and ease of transportation. Additionally, the research revealed that Millennials and younger consumers value authenticity and storytelling in branding, often preferring craft beers for their distinct identity. These insights informed the development of packaging concepts that would resonate with both loyal and potential Coors Light drinkers.
With research insights in hand, RKS Design embarked on an extensive design exploration, generating multiple packaging concepts aimed at enhancing both visual appeal and functionality. The team developed new primary and secondary packaging concepts while also refining existing designs to better align with consumer expectations. Key ideas included thermochromic cans that change color to indicate optimal temperature, innovative carrying solutions for better portability, and co-branding opportunities with premium outdoor brands like YETI to reinforce Coors Light’s association with cold refreshment. Each design was developed with the goal of balancing brand heritage with modern, engaging aesthetics.
To ensure the new designs effectively addressed consumer needs, RKS Design conducted multiple rounds of user testing and concept refinement. Consumers responded positively to packaging that clearly communicated cold refreshment, ease of use, and a premium feel. However, certain concepts—such as excessive gimmicks or overly complex designs—were met with skepticism. The feedback guided refinements, leading to a final selection of packaging innovations that balanced novelty with practicality. The result was a streamlined approach that enhanced consumer engagement while maintaining the brand’s integrity.
The final phase of the project focused on refining and defining the most promising packaging concepts, ensuring they aligned with consumer insights and brand strategy. RKS Design honed in on key elements such as thermo-ink technology to enhance cold refreshment cues, optimized structural packaging for better portability, and visual storytelling techniques to strengthen brand connection. Through iterative concept refinement, the team crafted a vision for how Coors Light could modernize its packaging and appeal to a younger, experience-driven audience. While these concepts remained in the exploratory phase, they provided a roadmap for how the brand could evolve to stay competitive in a shifting market landscape.
RKS Project Spotlight
COORS
Reimagining Coors Light’s packaging to captivate modern consumers, reinforce its signature cold refreshment, and strengthen brand relevance in a competitive market.
What We Did
As craft breweries gained popularity, Coors Light faced a decline in market share. Consumers were gravitating toward smaller, independent brands that offered unique storytelling and bold visual identities, leaving mainstream beer brands struggling to maintain their relevance. In response, Coors Light partnered with RKS Design to explore innovative packaging solutions that would reinvigorate the brand, reconnect with younger consumers, and reinforce its position as the world’s most refreshing beer. The project focused on strategic research, design innovation, and product refinement to create packaging that would stand out in a competitive landscape.
Psycho-Aesthetics
Product design is more than just winning awards; it’s about creating emotional connections between the product and the user. Our human-centered approach, Psycho-Aesthetics, helps us understand and quantify these connections.RKS Design used its Psycho-Aesthetics methodology to map Coors Light against competitors, positioning it in the upper left quadrant—where authenticity, functionality, and emotional connection drive consumer preference. Insights from user research revealed opportunities to reinforce Coors Light’s identity through packaging that emphasizes cold refreshment, durability, and brand storytelling.
RKS Design applied its advanced Psycho-Aesthetics methodology to uncover the emotional and functional drivers behind beer purchasing decisions. Through extensive user research, including in-home visits, shop-alongs, and party observations, the team identified key consumer pain points—such as concerns over beer staying cold, packaging durability, and ease of transportation. Additionally, the research revealed that Millennials and younger consumers value authenticity and storytelling in branding, often preferring craft beers for their distinct identity. These insights informed the development of packaging concepts that would resonate with both loyal and potential Coors Light drinkers.
With research insights in hand, RKS Design embarked on an extensive design exploration, generating multiple packaging concepts aimed at enhancing both visual appeal and functionality. The team developed new primary and secondary packaging concepts while also refining existing designs to better align with consumer expectations. Key ideas included thermochromic cans that change color to indicate optimal temperature, innovative carrying solutions for better portability, and co-branding opportunities with premium outdoor brands like YETI to reinforce Coors Light’s association with cold refreshment. Each design was developed with the goal of balancing brand heritage with modern, engaging aesthetics.
To ensure the new designs effectively addressed consumer needs, RKS Design conducted multiple rounds of user testing and concept refinement. Consumers responded positively to packaging that clearly communicated cold refreshment, ease of use, and a premium feel. However, certain concepts—such as excessive gimmicks or overly complex designs—were met with skepticism. The feedback guided refinements, leading to a final selection of packaging innovations that balanced novelty with practicality. The result was a streamlined approach that enhanced consumer engagement while maintaining the brand’s integrity.
The final phase of the project focused on refining and defining the most promising packaging concepts, ensuring they aligned with consumer insights and brand strategy. RKS Design honed in on key elements such as thermo-ink technology to enhance cold refreshment cues, optimized structural packaging for better portability, and visual storytelling techniques to strengthen brand connection. Through iterative concept refinement, the team crafted a vision for how Coors Light could modernize its packaging and appeal to a younger, experience-driven audience. While these concepts remained in the exploratory phase, they provided a roadmap for how the brand could evolve to stay competitive in a shifting market landscape.
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