Gray Duck Spirits

Handcrafted adult beverages for the unique Midwestern spirit.

Services

Branding
Packaging
Illustration
Copywriting
Marketing

website

Summary

Gray Duck was founded in 2018 on the premise of making a high quality, affordable, Minnesota-produced vodka that would be a staple in your liquor cabinet. The founders partnered with career Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway as their brand ambassador to solidify the local fanbase. Friend & Fort was brought on in 2020 to evolve the brand as Gray Duck started to expand their product offerings to seltzers, beer, mixed cocktails, and eventually a THC line.

We focused the brand tone on the midwestern everyman, aiming to compete with established brands like Titos. Cheeky duck-themed copy was used throughout packaging and marketing to further establish Gray Duck as a quality-first brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Anchored around the three hero ducks of the logo, a handful of simple graphic elements were layered in interesting ways, allowing for effortless riffing across the ever-expanding number of SKUs.

Color palette with labeled purple and gray shades: Minnesota Purple, Punchy Purple, Charcoal Gray, Silver Gray, Bright White.

Pattern with the word Duck repeated in purple with GrayDuck in silver in the center on a purple background.

Three stacked boxes of Gray Duck handcrafted vodka with purple and gray duck graphics on a purple background.

Four silver logos on purple: duck head with text, 100% corn spirit, GD MN ’18, and Get the Duck Out.

Three purple and white Gray Duck vodka coasters on a dark surface with a glass of ice water.

Person wearing a black cap with text 'Get the Duck Out' and a purple shirt.

Expanding Portfolio

Duck Loving Hard Seltzer

Gray Duck hard seltzer was the first of their new product lines. Focusing on real flavors without the extra sweetness that competitors offered fell in line with the clean, quality finish of Gray Duck's vodka foundation. Using bold colors and duotone flavor photography added quick legibility across the 10+ flavors.

Gray Duck variety pack seltzer with watermelon and kiwi-mango cans, bright colorful packaging.

Four Gray Duck flavored seltzer cans with flavors Bomba Juice, Cranberry Lychee, Lime, and Tangerine in a fridge.

Gray Duck Nordic Punch spirited seltzer can in purple and yellow design with 0g sugar and carbs.

Cans of Gray Duck Bomba Juice spirited seltzer with a white duck silhouette on red and silver background.

Gray Duck Strawberry Lemonade Bomba Juice seltzer packs with 5% alcohol and 95 calories.

Gray Duck Star Burst flavored spirited seltzer can with orange slice background on orange surface.

Person holding and opening a Gray Duck Spiked Nitro Cold Brew can with three duck illustrations.

Co-Branded Products

Spiked Caribou Coffee

Partnering with Caribou Coffee, another Minnesota-based brand, Gray Duck rode the espresso martini wave with a spiked nitro cold brew. Creamy, liquid nitro textures combined with Caribou's warm brand colors created a crave-worthy adult drink for coffee lovers.