When Beer Belly Brewing joined forces with ELLE Magazine Taiwan to launch a French Wild Berry Macaron Lager, it didn’t just release another craft beer – it turned a fashion moment into a flavour experience. Bursting with design-led innovation, this limited-edition lager tastes of berries, almond and tea, pours at 6.8% ABV, and arrives in pastel‑hued cans styled like Paris runway props. The visual impact, a shimmering metallic can with stylised macarons and a Paris map motif, makes it instantly Instagrammable. It’s the perfect example of category‑bending creativity meeting cultural relevance and it’s take the world and the media by storm.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR BRAND BUILDERS

In an age where consumers chase not just taste, but stories and meaning, this kind of cross-category collaboration creates distinctive brand activation. Here, fashion provides not just inspiration, but a cultural narrative that lifts the product beyond the beer aisle into social and style spaces.

This work reminds us that flavour credentials matter less than experiential resonance. A beer that erupts in beauty and theatre creates moments worth sharing – and builds connection beyond taste.

DRINKS BRANDS DOING THE UNEXPECTED

This isn’t a one-off. Across the past year, bold collaborations are emerging where drinks rub shoulders with design and culture. From Hennessy & Dior Men to Stella Artois & Palace Skateboards, spirits and streetwear labels teaming up to drop limited editions with visual storytelling at their core.

Whilst, RTD brands are innovating with multisensory textures, chewy boba, frothy nitro layers, crunchy inclusions, creating multi‑textured experiences that feel more gourmet than casual.

These examples showcase how creative drinks brands are redefining category codes by embracing art, texture, design, and storytelling in ways that build relevance and connect with today’s consumer outside of traditional drinks marketing spheres.

BUILDING CULTURAL RELEVANCE WITH CREATIVITY

Category-bending work succeeds because it’s built on cultural intelligence. It’s not just about pretty packaging – it’s about using design as a lens to reach new audiences. Fashion, art, lifestyle and food all offer ripe territory for connection. When done well, the result is not gimmickry, but premiumisation powered by cultural resonance. Think packaging that doubles as runway inspiration, or drinkable experiences that feel like leisure and lifestyle fused.

WHERE STRATEGY MEETS SURPRISE

At Wonderworks we believe in the kind of drinks branding strategy that sparks attention and drives conversion. We believe in anchoring innovation in consumer insight, then amplifying it through culture-led creative strategy.

Whether it’s packaging shaped by fashion, a flavour inspired by gastronomy, or an activation that lives at the heart of cultural spaces, our approach to category crossover is always rooted in strategy.

• We work with brands to identify unexpected cultural touchpoints

• We shape narratives that are worthy of sharing

• And we activate premium flavour experiences that feel radically authentic
  

Will it convert? yes - if it’s done intentionally

The real test of category-bending work isn't whether it’s bold or beautiful – it’s whether it opens new routes to purchase. A fashion‑inspired beer might attract curious consumers, but turning them into repeat buyers requires clarity in distribution, taste alignment, and cultural consistency across channels.

The Beet‑to‑Beauty world of fashion‑flavoured beer may not be mass-market, but when designed with strategic clarity, it attains lasting premium brand equity.

At Wonderworks, we help drinks brands turn cultural creativity into commercial momentum. If you’re ready to disrupt your category, connect with new audiences, or build a premium, design-forward brand moment – we’d love to work with you.

Let’s make more conversations, not just cans.