Wine this good deserves an apology

When renegade Yarra Valley winemakers—Innocent Bystander—created the first release Mea Culpa Shiraz they realised they had a special wine on their hands. But for a brand and business famous for their “great wine without the bullsh*t” philosophy, Mea Culpa presented a design and positioning challenge. The opportunity was to align two seemingly incompatible brand philosophies and two creative languages, while maintaining individual distinctiveness.

Innocent Bystander stands for ‘life with wine on the side’ and Mea Culpa is what happens when wine (briefly) takes centre stage.

This dual personality became the foundation for the design approach through the use of the now iconic ‘Bystander’. The first figure stands tall, remaining steadfast in his convictions, while the other is slumped, portraying his moment of weakness. This internal conflict is visualised in a Saul Bass illustrative style reminiscent of the 50’s ‘whodunnit’ films. At the centre of this duality is the wine— represented by red foil detailing—the tell-tale heart giving away our Bystander’s guilt.

Brand tension, done right

The Mea Culpa range has integrated effortlessly into the Innocent Bystander family—both on shelf and at their home at Innocent Bystander HQ in the Yarra Valley. Mea Culpa has added a creative tension to the suite of products adding further depth and character to the brand. The ongoing design approach ensures the Mea Culpa brand personality stands for something uniquely distinctive while remaining true to the Innocent Bystander rebel nature.