Challenge:
The primary challenge was finding a way to appeal to younger audiences without alienating Abita’s loyal customer base. We knew that people who drink Abita genuinely love it. They love the brand, the culture, and the lifestyle they embrace when choosing to crack an Abita over the other guys. The question became: how could we translate and elevate that experience in a way that resonates with Gen Z and younger Millennials while staying true to the core of the brand?
Response:
Illustration and Brand Expression
We quickly realized that much of Abita’s brand magic lives within its illustration style and packaging design. The artwork carries personality, heritage, and shelf presence, so we made it central to the digital experience. As Lead Designer and Art Director, I worked closely with Abita’s packaging designer and illustrator, Luis, to ensure each beer and product retained its unique character across every digital touchpoint. We leaned into bold compositions, vibrant color, and layered media to create an experience that felt energetic, expressive, and unmistakably Abita.
Typography Evolution
We also recognized the need to elevate the typography system. The previous combinations felt dated and lacked contrast. We retained Akzidenz-Grotesk as the condensed sans serif headline font to preserve brand familiarity, then introduced Moret to add depth, personality, and a sense of modern longevity that complemented the logotype. Trade Gothic was implemented for body copy to ensure clarity and scannability. Together, the system balanced heritage with freshness, reinforcing the idea of tradition evolving forward.
UX and Content Hierarchy
From a UX perspective, clarity was critical. Users should never have to think twice about where to buy beer, explore the portfolio, see what is happening at Abita’s locations, or purchase merchandise. I led the experience strategy with an emphasis on intuitive wayfinding, streamlined navigation, and clear content hierarchy that guides users naturally through the ecosystem.
As Art Director, I shaped the overall creative vision and design strategy, ensuring every touchpoint reflected Abita’s culture, craftsmanship, and Louisiana spirit. Collaborating closely with strategy, development, and content teams, I guided the visual language and UI decisions to strike a balance between legacy and forward momentum. The result is a vibrant, intuitive platform that feels unmistakably Abita while functioning as a modern digital product.
What We Did:
I oversaw and directed the design across all phases of the project, from early planning through final execution, ensuring aesthetics aligned with functionality and business goals. The scope included:
- Innovation planning and digital strategy, creating a content hierarchy that felt fluid and intuitive while supporting both education and action
- Art direction and visual system development to ensure the experience felt distinctly Abita
- UI and UX design that delivered a seamless, engaging journey and a high performing ecommerce tool designed to drive sales and guide users to beer finders
- Close collaboration with frontend and backend development teams to bring the visual and user experience to life in a cohesive and dynamic way
- Content and campaign management support, including Klaviyo integration to connect email marketing with loyalty programs and the ecommerce ecosystem
Every design decision was made to enhance usability, storytelling, and brand expression, while giving the internal team the flexibility to evolve and grow the site over time.
Results:
The finished website reintroduces Abita to the digital world with confidence, color, and character. It is not just a refresh, but a bold evolution of the brand’s presence online, capturing the spirit of Louisiana, the depth of its brewing legacy, and the energy of a new generation of drinkers. From the first interaction, visitors are immersed in a vibrant visual landscape supported by intuitive navigation and dynamic moments that invite exploration across beers, stories, merchandise, and campaigns.
Built to perform as beautifully as it looks, the fully responsive experience delivers seamless engagement across devices and a backend experience providing the Abita team opportunity to continually optimize, iterate, and grow. The platform does more than showcase beer. It strengthens brand affinity, deepens cultural relevance, and positions Abita as both an original craft pioneer and a modern leader ready to shape the next chapter of the craft beer industry.
Abita Provided Video Vignette:
