Roku Gin -
Non Alcoholic
D&AD New Blood Awards 2025
The mission
Gen Z are famously known as the moderation generation. They are curious and experimental and prioritise their health and well-being. Gen-Zers are growing up in a unique social landscape, weighed down by financial and societal worries, they’re more risk averse. They have a nuanced understanding of how drinking impacts their health and that of people around them. Gen Z reshapes the idea of a ‘good night out’ and often socialises without drinking.
In a world that is growing more conscious of the drinks they consume; how can Roku Gin reinvent themselves with credibility, in the moderation space?
See the D&AD entry video

The solution
Negative experiences with alcohol and noticing a decline in health have led many of Gen Z to reconsider their relationship with drinking and explore the benefits of sobriety. Japanese kintsugi, the art of joining broken objects with gold, highlights the beauty in repair and represents renewal and healing.
0.0% Roku uses kintsugi techniques to construct its unique bottle, symbolising authenticity and personal growth; values close to Gen Z. A revised identity, digital and physical campaigns, alongside a social brand experience aid 0.0% Roku to speak fluently to Gen Z and stand out in the market.
Key insight
35%
of Gen Z revealed that alcohol has triggered a negative impact on their mental health. Leading them to explore the benefits of going teetotal.
Why kintsugi style?
When beginning this project, I was inspired by the level of delicacy and technique used when making Roku Gin, such as how the ingredients are harvested at the peak of their flavours, shun. This prompted me to investigate other traditional Japanese methods of craftmanship, which also require high levels of skill and precision, that would live up to the creation of Roku Gin.
From this insight, I researched a vast array of Japanese art styles and found kintsugi, the art of joining broken objects with gold. Kintsugi requests attention in its creation and produces a beautiful result too. Paired with its meaning of healing and restoration, it also acts as the perfect metaphor for how many of Gen Z reassess their drinking habits for sobriety's restorative effects.
