Markham

Markham is the fourth oldest in the Napa Valley dating back to 1879. We needed to re-establish the Markham brand to be on par with the prestigiousness of Napa Valley, and rejuvenate the brand to be both distinctive and compelling across its entire, optimized portfolio. Our brief was to create a clear, ownable and compelling brand story, positioning and messaging, and bring this to life through a distinctive and appealing brand identity, a clear and logical brand architecture, a clever naming system, a careful packaging rejuvenation, a compelling website re-skin and a suite of collateral materials that will drive recognition and comprehension of Markham’s unique qualities and story.

Digging into the brand’s extensive archives we found the story of The “Cannoneer”: a tradition started by founder Bruce Markham, a U.S. Navy veteran, who would fire a miniature cannon to signal the start of the annual grape harvest. This tradition was the inspiration for the brand identity of the cannoneer, and accompanied by a distinctive, crafted typography for the branding. Each tier has its own personality, yet feels intrinsically Markham.