Century
Sam
Century Sam cigars have been around since the mid-20th century, and after 53 years, they selected Matt (Sentient’s Founder) to help them re-imagine Canada’s iconic cigar brand. Although completed by Matt during his tenure at VICE, this project still embodies the design ethic we employ at Sentient today.
The Process
Century Sam had long used a small woodcut illustration of a prospector, and since this element had been grandfathered into the brand identity, we decided to enhance his presence.
The original woodcut lacked clear detail, so we carefully rendered a fresh prospector, keeping the original pose. The end result is a bold departure from the original, where the yellow, red, and blue palette make it seem as if daybreak is just on the horizon.
A custom word mark was created for use with our fresh illustration, something the evoked the sense of a bygone era while maintaining relevance in today’s visual space.
The Package
The packaging is largely focused on the brand identity, to give it the retro feel of practicality. We also made sure to include some amusing details, as with the cigar on the side panel. Elements like this were also created for various trade marketing materials.
