April 5, 2022

Granville Island Brewing Co.

Granville Island Brewing wasn’t broken—it had just drifted. Once Canada’s original microbrewery and a symbol of West Coast craft, the brand had become visually and emotionally disconnected from its roots.

Qualitative Research

Creative Direction

Audience Insights

Copywriting

Junior Strategist / BrandOpus
Client: Molson Coors

A 2019 redesign leaned into Granville’s industrious past but left behind the colorful, outdoorsy spirit of the island itself. The result? A brand that no longer felt like it belonged to Vancouver—one that had lost its sense of place, dulled its personality, and left its rich legacy underutilized. It was time to bring back the Granville that locals loved—and reframe a pioneering brand not as a relic, but as a reflection. Our first move wasn’t on a whiteboard—it was on the island. We immersed ourselves in Vancouver life: talking to locals, exploring Granville’s artisan culture, and decoding what the brand had lost. We discovered a city that thrived on spontaneity, nature, and craft. From this cultural groundwork, we built three creative territories rooted in real insight.

The chosen route, Just Around the Corner, allowed us to reimagine the brand’s diamond as a literal window—connecting the brewery to the adventures just beyond it. Through bold color, playful illustration, and neighborhood-inspired brews, we reintroduced a brand personality that reflected Vancouver’s laid-back energy and love for doing.

With a vibrant new identity on pack and beyond, Granville Island Brewing reclaimed its role as a proud, local original. By honoring its 1984 legacy while evolving its visual language, we helped GIB move away from the "golf shirt, beer-your-dad-drinks-at-a-BBQ" stereotype and into something that felt relevant again. Early signs show stronger shelf presence, renewed local love, and internal alignment. But most importantly, the brand now tells a story that locals actually see themselves in: authentic, energetic, and deeply connected to its origins. This wasn’t just about refreshing a logo, it was about owning our history in a way that makes people care again.