New Amsterdam Vodka

Few categories are as visually crowded as vodka, where dozens of bottles compete for attention on any given shelf. The challenge facing forceMAJEURE when it was tasked with redesigning New Amsterdam Vodka was to evolve the packaging without erasing what made it recognisable.

Owned by E. & J. Gallo, New Amsterdam has long been a prominent presence in the highly competitive spirits market. The brand undertook its first major redesign since its launch to strengthen its visual identity, modernise its packaging system and create a more cohesive presence across its portfolio.

ForceMAJEURE's redesign centres on a bold midnight-blue colour palette that immediately sets New Amsterdam apart from the sea of clear-and-silver competitors on retail shelves. Rather than simply refreshing the packaging, the agency approached the project as a systemic evolution of the brand's visual language.

The team elevated the iconic cityscape graphic—previously a supporting decorative element—into a primary visual asset. The signature vertical wordmark was also reinforced and refined, giving the bottle a confident, contemporary presence that reads clearly both on the shelf and behind the bar.

Behind the project was a multidisciplinary team at forceMAJEURE that carefully translated brand strategy into visual execution. Under the guidance of Creative Director Michelle Mak, the agency collaborated closely with New Amsterdam Vodka and E. & J. Gallo to navigate the complex redesign, supported by dedicated account and production professionals who ensured seamless project coordination.

New Amsterdam Vodka

The creative team—including Tim Devereaux, Tianyun Jiang and other core designers—played a key role in developing and executing the new identity system. Tasked with translating high-level strategy into tangible design solutions, they were instrumental in refining the label architecture and strengthening the typographic hierarchy.

Within this collaborative effort, Jiang's contributions helped establish the distinctive midnight-blue aesthetic while supporting the broader initiative to refine the label architecture, strengthen the typographic hierarchy and create a consistent visual system across the brand's touchpoints.

The redesign has since received significant industry recognition, including a Silver Award from Graphis, a Gold Award at the 2026 MUSE Design Awards, and a PAC Global Award. The honours recognise the overall strength of the project and provide independent validation of the design quality, craftsmanship and creative execution behind New Amsterdam Vodka's refreshed visual identity.