Creative block? Office of Overview has designed a work-friendly beer to get things flowing again

In 2018, Professor Andrew Jarosz at Mississippi State University released a research paper that revealed how intoxication can be a helpful state for solving creative problems. The study he conducted for the paper involved serving twenty male participants vodka-cranberry cocktails until their blood alcohol levels were near the legal limit, and then asking them to solve a number of word-association problems. The result? The participants who were inebriated solved 13-20 per cent more problems than those who were not, and they solved them faster.

This was great news for all of the creatives out there who like a bit of dutch courage to take on new projects, and for one studio in particular, it sparked a project of its own. After longing for a way to safely mix grain and graft, London-based branding and design agency Office of Overview took it upon themselves to develop a work-friendly, low-strength beer that could be consumed during office hours. “Every creative knows that time away from the screens helps accelerate the creative process, taking long showers or going on long walks – but what about the long lunch,” says founder James Sedgwick-Taylor.

Eager to put this theory to the test, the team at Overview reached out to local brewery Small Beer for a mid-strength lager that could get their imaginations flowing. They then designed the packaging for their new product, giving it a fun and silly aesthetic that speaks to the carefree yet considered attitude it embodies. “We wanted to share this with the world,” explains James. “To package up this idea and responsibly help our friends find more creative solutions to their problems. Thus, Creative Juice was born.”

Housed in sticker-filled cardboard boxes, the cans of Creative Juice are a joy to look at – and to drink. In a world of maximalist and often-garish craft beer labels, this packaging is refreshingly simple. The classic silver of the can is foregrounded by bold blue text, made using the Ginto typeface from Dynamo, and an illustrated explosion of juice that boasts the beer’s low alcohol content of 2.1 per cent. As such, rather than (literally) shoving overly-complex designs in your face, Creative Juice lets the drinker do the thinking, allowing their creativity to shine rather than flexing its own. The release is also paired with a The Office-style short film, which shoes Overview designer Christian Gyde playing the role of “the worlds most uninspired man”, who’s creative juices get flowing (you guessed it) after a cold one.

Though the studio team now regularly crack open a cold one “every time the going gets tough”, James tells us that their beer is yet to be stocked in any shops. But, he does insist that, for anyone reading this, he’s happy to share a box. So, if you’re currently sitting there, struggling with a brief, reach out to the guys at Overview for a chance to slurp while you work.