Turn It Up Media Wins Three "Excellence in Packaging" Awards at the 2026 ADI International Spirits Competition
- May 20
- 3 min read
Updated: May 28
Turn It Up Media has been honored with three Excellence in Packaging awards at the 2026 American Distilling Institute (ADI) International Spirits Competition, the most prestigious recognition in the craft spirits industry for our Brand Development work on Colorado-based Hoot + Howl Spirits.
Read our award winning case study HERE.
The 2026 Awards:
Excellence in Packaging Trophy — Off-the-Shelf Packaging Champion
Excellence in Packaging — Double Gold Medal — Brand Identity
Excellence in Packaging — Double Gold Medal — Black Tea Liqueur Label Design
Where It All Began
Founder Callan Deline came to us with artisanal spirits, inspiration for a name rooted in full moon backcountry ski laps eliciting the pure joy of hooting and howling with friends. Our challenge was to capture that energy and translate it into a brand that could stand out on a competitive shelf while staying true to its Colorado soul.
We don't pick up a pen or open a design file until the brand foundation is on lock. That means mission, vision, values, voice, and messaging all defined before any creative energy is applied. For Hoot + Howl, that discipline paid off.
Our team of Erik Cox, Cari Weady, and Chad Melis leaned into the concept of "Hoot" and "Howl" as a noun and as a verb emphasizing action, adventure, and the celebration of shared moments rather than only treating them as mere nouns. That single decision set the dynamic tone for everything that followed.
The Logo That Tricks the Eye
We were initially resistant to an owl-and-wolf motif, worried it would be too on the nose and not capture the energy and action of Hoot + Howl as verb. But lead designer Cari Weady, an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience including New Belgium Brewery, developed something we couldn't walk away from: a wolf and owl mark built entirely from negative space, designed so the image shifts between the two animals depending on how you look at it. It's an "ambiguous image" that creates a moment of joyful surprise and instant conversation, exactly the social energy the brand is built on.
Packaging Built to Scale
Winning the Off-the-Shelf Packaging Champion Trophy and a Double Gold for the Black Tea Liqueur Label Design came down to a packaging system built with both craft and practicality in mind. Rather than investing in custom bottles, we developed a two-step process: a printed glass bottle stamped with the Hoot + Howl wordmark, onto which individual spirit labels are applied at the distillery. The result is a scalable system that maintains a consistent, premium shelf presence across all SKUs with bold, reserved colors for future limited-edition releases already planned.
The Proof on the Shelf (or behind the bar)
These three awards from the American Distilling Institute validate what we have always believed: intentional, disciplined brand development produces creative work that doesn't just look good it performs for the brand. It earns shelf space, builds consumer confidence, and tells a story in a single glance.
Congrats + Thank You
Congrats to our Turn It Up Media team of Ally Levise, Cari Weady, Erik Cox Chad Melis, Marily Melis and Michael Eldridge, this is what full-send looks like. And big congratulations and thank you to Callan Deline, Chris Ritenour and the entire Hoot + Howl team for capturing an additional six awards for their spirits in addition to their packaging awards.
Amaro Cask Bourbon - Silver Medal
Armagnac Cask Bourbon - Bronze Medal
Black Tea Liqueur - Silver Medal
Gin - Silver Medal
Triple Sec - Bronze Medal
Vodka - Gold Medal
Are you a craft distillery preparing to launch, rebranding, or trying to earn more shelf space? We know what distributors, retailers, and consumers need and we build a roadmap to deliver. Let's dig into your brand.
Turn It Up Media Brand Development Project Links:
Turn It Up Media Wins Four Craft Beer Marketing Awards - Link
Hoot + Howl Spirits Award Winning Brand Development Case Study - Link
Berthoud Brewing Rebrand Yields Record Results - Link
Root Shoot Spirits: How We Helped The World's Best Whiskey To Market - Link
Altered State Distillery Brand Development Case Study - Link
Turn It Up Wins Four Triple Gold Package Design Medals with Altered State Distillery - Link
Brand Identity: Bringing the Spirit Hound Distillers Story To Life - Link
Brewery Marketing & Branding: Developing a Unique Brand Voice with Chad Melis - Link
Celebrating 5 Years: How We Built the Mainstage Brewing Brand Story and Logo - Link
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