The Spirit of Rebellion
Prohibition-Themed Cocktail Book for Elephant & Co.
Elephant & Co. has always been more than just a bar for its regulars. It’s been a neighbourhood watering hole for its people, and transformed and grown with them over the years since its inception. When they decided to introduce a prohibition-themed cocktail menu, our challenge was to craft a concept that reiterated the feeling of community and people coming together, while staying true to the brand’s engaging and playful nature.
brand concept
menu design
Strategy & Concept
Inspired by the underground drinking culture of 1954 India, we designed a cocktail book that not only served as a menu but also as a storytelling piece. Each drink was crafted to reflect the ingenuity and rebellious spirit of the time, transporting guests to an era where alcohol was banned, but not forgotten.
Naming
To deepen the connection to the prohibition theme, each cocktail name carried a piece of history, inspired by secret codes, underground drinking dens, or legendary figures from the era, like Section Garam , a nod to the whispered warnings of “Section garam hai!” among street vendors when authorities were near, and Aunty No. 1 which are commonly referred to as India's first speakeasies.
Illustration Style
To bring the prohibition era to life visually, we delved into literature, newspapers, and design styles from pre-independence India. The result was a vintage-inspired aesthetic that borrowed elements from:
Classic typography styles found in 1950s Indian print media.
A muted, aged-paper color palette to reflect the passage of time.
Layouts that mirrored the old advertisement pages and notices of that era.
Communication Design & User Experience
While the visual design embraced history, clarity and usability were our top priorities when structuring the menu. We adopted a minimal yet engaging layout that emphasized:
Clean, structured typography for easy reading under dim lighting.
Clear categorization with sections for descriptions, prices and upgrades
Flavour profiles to help guests quickly make informed choices.
