Kinnie is a bittersweet, carbonated drink which was first introduced on the Maltese market in 1952. Kinnie’s image evokes nostalgia and a distinctive Mediterreanean identity.

This project is a collaboration with a marketing agency Switch Ltd. Renders for the Kinnie campaign were created in large enough resolution to be used for a variety of applications; ranging from large-format print to social media advertising. We also rebuilt the labels to ensure that the final product looked like a premium printed object.

We were briefed to create new exciting marketing material featuring Kinnie’s recently redesigned glass and plastic bottles of their range, also featuring new label designs. Our task was to faithfully create 3D renders of the glass bottles to be later used as part of a nationwide marketing campaign.

The project kicked off with a study of how the liquid reacts under various light sources and a study of Kinnie’s colour and viscosity. Using existing photographic documentation of the new bottle as a reference, a 3D studio was created to match the lighting setup and conditions to create a premium, soft setting. The bottle was meticulously modelled in 3D and an extensive range of test renders were produced to match perfectly the glass of the bottle.

Reflection and refraction settings had to be analysed and calibrated and subtle dirt and bump maps were incorporated to enhance the model’s photorealistic qualities. The modelling of the liquid was a technical challenge. It is a complex dark brown as a base with reddish-orange tones and golden highlights. In 3D this was translated with compound shaders with various fog and exit refractive indexes to achieve an interesting and complex colour which would match the lighting conditions.