In 2015, Anheuser-Busch launched Oculto, a light style lager blended with beer aged on tequila barrel staves. The above-the-line agency sold in an Eyes Wide Shut sort of vibe, positioning Oculto as “a key part of unforgettable nights with your partners in crime.” But they didn’t have a key visual. Which we needed immediately to meet printing deadlines for retail pieces.

I wasn’t on the Oculto team at the time, but the client asked me personally to design the key visual, based on his experience working with me on Beck’s Sapphire. I presented a look that stood out from any other beer in the AB portfolio. Encircled by turquoise smoke, the bottle was backlit to capture embossed details on the neck and make the eyes of the skull glow. This look set the tone for the brand’s launch, from secondary packaging to an immersive experience in Miami called Oculto Manor. I led a team of designers to create several pieces for that event, including coasters, an infinity mirror and a back bar bottle glorifier featuring rear projection.

Photographer: Ted Tamboro