Macy Dyet

Using communication design to shift perspectives around alcohol towards social connection and craft

Bon Vivant is a cocktail book that advocates for a slower and more sustainable way to live, promoting more responsible consumption of alcohol within the young adult demographic.

Communication from the alcohol industry is often driven towards binge drinking culture; over 50% of alcohol in New Zealand is consumed on heavy drinking occasions, leading to increases in health complications, crime, and emergency room visits. However, alcohol isn’t all bad— low to moderate alcohol consumption can help reduce social anxiety, facilitate conversation, and enhance feelings of community. The aim of this cocktail book is to encourage and facilitate responsible and mindful behaviour.

Choosing to showcase the craft of cocktail making instead of the fast-paced, easy consumption of alcohol many young adults have come to expect, the Bon Vivant guide uses a unique lectern binding, promoting a new focus for the role of alcohol in social situations in the home. Linocut illustrations and elegant san-serif type repackage a vintage feel for a new generation, drawing on the design zeitgeist from the late 1800’s to imbue a pre-technology feel. This project aims to change the context in which alcohol appears in our social lives, embracing a slower and more content way of living.