Design Process: R66 Cola

When creating a design that will be going on a Zippo lighter it is important to consider the real estate that is available. There is more vertical space than horizontal and a beverage can is an ideal shape to maximize the area. In order to create the "R66 Cola" brand I scoured the web for vintage soda advertisements of which there were no shortage!  

The first challenge was to create a design that drew inspiration from classic soda brands, but had unique characteristics as well. Color was was key and as seen in the examples below I started by using blue as the base color. As the design developed I felt that it was appropriate for R66 Cola to use red as the dominant color as that is what is used in the Riley's 66 logo. 

Often my Mid Century Modern designs use simple shapes and don't focus on minute details. On this design I wanted to show great detail including reflections on the can. The subtle reflections on each side of the can give it the illusion of roundness and depth. Many of the advertising examples I saw made the product enticing by picturing it ice cold with condensation covering the can. This proved to be quite a challenge. I was off to YouTube to watch tutorials on how to create water drops and I spent several hours to get it right. Each water drop was created separately and then had to be arranged in order to look realistic. I am very pleased with the end result. High Polish Chrome is one of my favorite Zippo finishes and it was the perfect choice to complete the Riley's 66 Cola design!

Early renditions of Riley's 66 Cola in Blue

The finished design!