New Client: Nicholson Gin

There is always something stimulating and refreshing about working with a new client. However, it can pose a few challenges, such as successfully interpreting concepts, expectations, and deliverables. In this case, where this Nicholson drink is relatively new, it is useful to gain insight into the brand. Nicholson gin has been distilled since 1736, and it was a popular drink in London hotels like the Savoy. This heritage brand has spent years refining and reinventing the classic bottle, by modernising the label design and branding, which was our job to accurately capture!

The shoot concept played on the idea of a ‘Soho glow’, a slightly edgy aesthetic with distinctive neon lights, seductive warmth and a cosy ambience. Similarly to the signature blood orange liquid and strong flavours of a Negroni; a perfect winter drink, reflecting notions of warm light, entices you in, and warming your soul.

We captured this gin photography by creatively building a trendy bar/table scene in the studio, as if the bottle was shot in an iconic Soho bar on a dark winters evening. To create this atmosphere and mood, we chose a rustic dark blue textured surface, hard metals that reflected light well and a lovely neon sign that helped capture the essence of Soho atmosphere. We also experimented with a red bike lights to refract accents of red light into the set, such as onto melted ice or reflected through glass. This ‘tail light’ evening nod was a key visual element that the client wanted us to show throughout the series, in addition to hints of neon signs.

This creative technique really helped to convey the ‘Soho Glow’ theme, and the dark surface tones helped the blood orange liquid and bottle stand out. Incorporating models into the shots added a lifestyle feel to the series, and further helped to reflect the nightlife scene!