Born out of the dusty roads and big breaks of Baja, two SoCal surfers created a craft tequila that celebrates adventure. A tequila that embraces its small town Mexico inspiration. A tequila that doesn’t apologize for being tequila. A tequila that’s always up for a good time. With no visual detail too small for us, everything about the Peligroso brand reflects who they are and where they came from.
We’re stoked to still see Peligroso flying off the shelves nation wide and getting the recognition it deserves. We poured blood, sweat, and shots into laying a solid brand foundation that will position Peligroso as a staple in the tequila game. Building brands from the ground up always gets us amped—plus motorcycle and surf trips for work aren’t bad either.
Peligroso hails from small town México, and everything we created takes inspiration from that world. Graphic elements were deliberately blemished, a quality indicative of the larger visual system—favoring gritty, hand-drawn qualities over high polish design. The photography style had a raw, faded, grainy quality that depicts life off the beaten path.
To finesse an already badass logo, we focused on creating a style guide with strict guidelines that expanded the original mark into a comprehensive catalogue with type, textures, patterns, photography, and secondary design elements that all tie back to the brand’s Mexican surf town origins.
As flavored whiskeys were on the come up, including a certain cinnamon whiskey favored at bars, Peligroso wanted to show tequila was still a contender. With Peligroso Cinnamon Liqueur came a cinnamon specific logo icon and as a subtle touch for the new flavor, we added flames to the snake’s mouth as an homage to the spicy flavor.
The Peligroso seal is a secondary logo lockup composed of a snake against a blazing sun—two distinct emblems of Mexico and a symbol of Peligroso’s journey. Close inspection reveals a certain distinct roughness and imperfection not normally found in vector artwork. These deliberate blemishes are in line with the larger aesthetic ethos of rough, hand drawn elements.
Founded in the sands and surf of Mexico, identifying brand colors meant defining what Baja is to Peligroso. We weren’t perpetuating the reality TV version of Baja with its dance clubs and all inclusive resorts.
We wanted to represent the heart and grit of the local culture and history. The Baja of rural dirt roads leading to weathered pueblos, with their stucco walls and layers of faded, warm-colored paint. Colors that depict life off the beaten path, with its endless sunsets and seedy landmarks. Celebrating bare feet in the dirt and those special people that are drawn to the authentic unknown.
We refuse to let our existence be dictated by the scripted realities of the powers that be. We have our own stories to tell, our own adventures to forge. Until our last breaths, we will suck the life out of this life. Our triumphs won’t be measured in commas and zeros. Our scars and stories will chronicle our ride. We will not yield, bend or submit. We will live like everything can happen. Try as you might to silence us, we will not go quietly.
With a limited budget, and $0.00 designated for traditional media buys, we needed to be as strategic and scrappy as possible. We scoured the country for marquee events, concerts, and parties that aligned with Peligroso’s origins and philosophy. Then we zeroed in on potential bars around the country to host Managed Bar Nights and sample Peligroso for the parched masses.
When you roll up to the scene claiming to be a tequila with big wave roots, you better have beach cred to back it up. As a token of our authenticity and proof of our intensity, we signed Greg Long (arguably the best big wave rider alive) to be our featured athlete. We followed him on his adventures, generating see-it-to-believe-it content. Along the way, he was always down for special appearances, and more than willing to whip up some martinis as a celeb bartender if the occasion called.
Starting with our toes in the Pacific, we set out on an adventure that would take us 1,600+ miles, and through seven states, to the capital of motorcycles.
Every winter, the surf community converges on the North Shore of Hawaii to witness and ride the world’s most revered waves. We followed big wave legend Greg Long and Oahu native Kahana Kalama to the heart of surf to do just that.
Starting with our toes in the Pacific, we set out on an adventure that would take us 1,600+ miles, and through seven states, to the capital of motorcycles.
Every winter, the surf community converges on the North Shore of Hawaii to witness and ride the world’s most revered waves. We followed big wave legend Greg Long and Oahu native Kahana Kalama to the heart of surf to do just that.