Roku Neo
Project
Non-Alcoholic Spirit Rebrand
Role
Research, Concept, Visual Design, Campaign
Deliverables
Packaging Design, Posters, Social Media
Year
2025
Team: Genie, Sherry, Xinyu
Overview
Roku Neo is a conceptual premium non-alcoholic gin designed for Gen Z’s evolving social culture. Developed in response to a D&AD competition brief, the project reimagines one of the Suntory Global Spirits: Roku Gin for the next generation of legal drinking age consumers. The project explores how Roku could evolve beyond alcohol, aligning with Gen Z’s values of moderation, wellness, and mindful sober socialising. The work spans research, brand storytelling, packaging design, and campaign concepts rooted in Japanese craftsmanship and ritual.
Gen Z consumers are redefining social drinking, prioritising health, mindfulness, and moderation. However, non-alcoholic options often feel like substitutes rather than desirable products in their own right. The challenge was to reimagine Roku Gin as a non-alcoholic offering that stands confidently on its own, without relying on alcohol-led social norms.
Roku Neo was designed as a standalone ritual rather than an alcohol alternative. The concept is built on:
Metaphor: The diamond, symbolising perfection, refinement, and precision.
Metonymy: “Roku” (six), representing balance and harmony through six Japanese botanicals.
These ideas shaped the hexagonal bottle design, brand narrative, and the “The Ritual of Six” campaign, encouraging Gen Z to craft personalised sober rituals through DIY kits and social experiences.
The final outcome includes a cohesive brand system, packaging concept, DIY ritual kit, and campaign visuals that position sobriety as premium, social, and intentional. Roku Neo reframes non-alcoholic drinking as an elevated lifestyle choice rooted in balance and Japanese heritage.
