Shopping around: the right brand identity for an indie retailer
Client: Blue Otter Wines
Completed: August 2015
Blue Otter Wines is an independent retailer in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, specialising in fine and rare wines — alongside a carefully curated selection of spirits and craft beers. They needed their brand to better reflect the quality on the shelves, and to feel as specialist as the advice they give in-store.
We created shop branding that defined and repositioned Blue Otter across every key customer touchpoint — from the high street frontage through to digital and print.
We began by rebranding Blue Otter Wines, developing a new identity that felt premium, confident and rooted in tradition — without tipping into stuffy. The challenge was to appeal to fine wine buyers looking for rarity and quality, while still welcoming customers browsing craft beer, whisky or a brilliant bottle for the weekend.
For the logo, we leaned into a vintage, classic look with a quintessentially English feel. We selected typography inspired by Art Nouveau styling — echoing the American Horror Story references the client loved — to create something characterful, distinctive and ownable.
To make rollout simple and consistent, we also produced clear brand guidelines so the Blue Otter Wines identity could evolve with confidence over time.
To give the brand more warmth and storytelling, we illustrated a ‘Blue Otter’ character, inspired by The Wind in the Willows and E.H. Shepard’s iconic drawings. This character became central to the identity — adding personality, charm and a recognisable focal point that customers could connect with.
With the new identity in place, we translated the concept into standout shop branding that made the store feel more purposeful and more memorable from the pavement.
Working closely with the client and a professional signwriter, we redesigned both the exterior and interior to create a more engaging retail experience. Key elements included new signage and an in-store mural featuring our Blue Otter character — helping the shop feel curated, specialist, and unmistakably “Blue Otter”.
To extend the new look beyond the shop, we designed and built a clean, responsive website that captured the same bespoke, vintage feel created through the shop branding.
As with all our builds, the site was developed in WordPress, giving the client a user-friendly CMS that’s straightforward to manage, with a build that stays streamlined for speed and performance.
The refreshed high street presence helped increase footfall in the shop almost immediately. Building on that momentum, we extended the brand into social media, and designed brochures and business stationery to support face-to-face promotion and day-to-day trading.
We love working with independent retailers — it’s always rewarding to see thoughtful design (and strong shop branding) make a real difference.
Written by Jane Comar + Reviewed by James Hofton
Last updated: January 14, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Union 10 Design