In their own words
Esther is the brand that will change that. Esther is the rum that will rebrand rum.
We knew we would have to be remembered by something easily.
We are determined not to be precious, not to be exclusive, and not to gatekeep.
Ohmek is more than a retreat centre; it’s a place and a practice; a method and a mindset.
This felt very aligned with Ohmek’s philosophy – that depth and complexity can be found in the simplest of things.
While the tequila itself was being developed, we helped fabricate the entire brand conception and implementation.
We were extremely particular with the number of embellishments on the bottle, as we wanted a very limited combination of materials and colours.
From the get-go, we knew the 3D visuals were going to serve as the primary vehicle to tell the brand story.
Articles & interviews
- Nihilo Launches Premium Rum Brand "Esther" to Transform Category
The Brand Identity features Nihilo’s creation of Esther, a premium Colombian rum brand designed to redefine the rum category. The Columbus-based studio, led by Emunah Winer and Margarett Kerr-Jarrett, developed a bold identity centered on duality, optical illusions, and cultural relevance. With distinctive typography, a memorable green cap, and anti-cliché positioning, Esther aims to modernize rum’s image and appeal to a broader audience.
- "Collaboration Key to Creative Success, Experts Reveal"
The article explores how collaboration drives creative success across disciplines, featuring insights from illustrators, designers, writers, and agency founders. Through real-world examples, it highlights how trust, complementary skills, and communication form the foundation of effective creative partnerships. The piece celebrates collaboration as a key ingredient in producing more meaningful and innovative work.
- Design Studios Launch Their Own Brands: Inside Look
The article explores the growing trend of design studios launching their own brands, featuring insights from Nihilo, Whitman Emorson, Paleworks, and Two Times Elliott. Each studio discusses their motivations for moving beyond client work into entrepreneurship, citing creative control, long-term involvement, and the desire to apply their branding expertise to their own ventures. The piece highlights how this shift reflects a broader evolution in the design industry toward brand ownership and creative autonomy.
- Nihilo’s intentional and layered identity for Ohmek captures the dynamic journey of personal growth
Ohio-based studio Nihilo rebranded Ohmek, a Brooklyn and upstate New York retreat centre, with a layered identity reflecting personal growth and transformation. The design embraces imperfection through glitch art, repetition, and distortion, aligning with Ohmek’s philosophy of 'beautiful ugliness.' Using the Inter typeface and a restrained palette, the identity captures depth through simplicity and spontaneity.
- New Branding & Packaging for Casamalka by Nihilo
BP&O’s feature by Emily Gosling explores Nihilo’s branding and packaging design for tequila brand Casa Malka. The agency developed a holistic identity encompassing strategy, packaging, structural bottle design, illustration, and 3D art direction in collaboration with CG artist Haruko Hayakawa. The result is a refined, gender-neutral, and minimalist brand world that balances restraint with sensuality.
- Nihilo’s contrasting identity and bottle for Casa Malka shapes a world between rawness and royalty
Israeli studio Nihilo designed the brand identity and bottle for emerging tequila brand Casa Malka, balancing rawness and royalty through contrasting typography, materials, and 3D visuals. The project features typefaces Azeret Mono and Gimlet Display Compressed, a gold wax-sealed bottle, and a virtual world created with 3D designer Haruko Hayakawa. The result is a refined yet edgy identity that reflects the tequila’s dual character.
- The Edit: five projects including Emunah Winer’s modular identity for global community Olami
The Brand Identity’s 'The Edit' roundup highlights five recent design projects, including Emunah Winer’s modular rebrand for global Jewish community Olami. Other featured works include Brada’s playful identity for SNEAKRS, Megan Perkins’ nostalgic rebrand for R&R Smith, Ragged Edge’s transparent branding for Reveal, and Nordebrink Studio’s refined redesign of SearchSystem. The article showcases diverse approaches to branding, typography, and digital design across industries and geographies.