What happens when over a thousand women invest in a whisky brand? UK studio Contagious has created the identity for a new Norwegian island distillery rewriting the rules of this often stuffy, tradition-bound sector.
On the windswept island of Fedje, just off Norway’s west coast, there’s something radical happening: a spirits brand has been launched, powered by women and “bottled with purpose”. And it’s been brought to life by Scottish creative studio, Contagious.
Named after its island home, FEDDIE promises to be more than just a distillery, it’s also a movement. One that is aiming to disrupt a drinks sector often overflowing with cliches and an awful lot of heavy detail. “No ornate stoppers, no woodcut illustrations, no faux signatures, or superfluous outer packaging,” explains Creative Director James Hartigan. “We built a brand first, then designed a bottle that quietly but powerfully embodies what ‘Powered by Women’ really means.”
What does “powered by women” mean, though? FEDDIE was founded by Anne Koppang in 2019 with the aim of empowering women in an investment world where 80% of the stock market’s value is controlled by men. It does so by allowing only women to invest. So far more than 1,100 women have joined the cause. Even better? It aims to contribute to the island’s local economy.
So does such a tribute manifest in the design? It begins with the bottle itself. It features 751 embossed dots and 521 dashes – one for every female investor and island resident at launch. Combined, they form a flowing, wave-like motif to symbolise both the energy behind the business and the coastal landscape it comes from.
But what if there are more investors in future? The dots and dashes are built into the mould and updated every time a new bottle design is refreshed in future. “Embedding the scale and scope of the cause into the bottle was daunting creatively,” says Hartigan. “But once we hit on the idea of it evolving, it felt inevitable. Each bottle becomes a physical marker of the movement’s progress.”
Despite this special aspect, the design itself is minimalist. There’s no cork, no outer packaging, and no unnecessary embellishment. The lightweight 450g bottle has a pared-back Nordic style, presumably to stand out and disrupt. “There’s an unwritten rule in premium whisky that heavier bottles signal higher quality,” says Hartigan. “We wanted to flip that. This bottle proves lightweight design can still be premium – and purposeful.”
Then there are the eco credentials. Every design decision took into consideration the brand’s green aspirations. Lighter glass, for example means a lower carbon footprint, and an aluminium screw cap ensures easier recycling. Nothing was added unless it served a clear purpose.
When FEDDIE approached Contagious, the brief was simply to design packaging, but the Edinburgh-based studio pushed it further. “We knew this wasn’t just about packaging,” explains Hartigan. “It was an opportunity to build a brand that could challenge the industry. Yes, FEDDIE makes great whisky – but its true point of difference is its story of financial empowerment, community focus, and cultural change.”
Another aspect of the work that Contagious brought up was how a male creative would be leading the project – a responsibility Hartigan acknowledged: “It’s a minefield if you’re not careful. We were incredibly mindful not to project a male view of what women might want. We leaned heavily on the women in our team and network. Just as FEDDIE is powered by women, but made for everyone, our goal was never to design for women – it was to design with them.”
But the approach mirrors FEDDIE’s own inclusive, transparent, values-led mission. “This isn’t about excluding men – it’s about rebalancing,” said Hartigan. “FEDDIE proves that when women lead and design follows purpose, you can create something truly different.”
How has the product been received? Launched in Norway in late 2023, the inaugural FEDDIE whisky sold out within two weeks – despite the constraints of Norway’s strictly regulated alcohol market. It became the country’s best-selling malt whisky in the crucial build up to Christmas, also outselling all other Nordic whiskies combined.
And now? FEDDIE launched in the UK at the London Whisky Show earlier this month, and things are already looking very promising. “When you pick up a bottle of FEDDIE,” adds Hartigan, “you’re not just holding a whisky – you’re holding a moment in a movement. One that’s growing, evolving, and rewriting the rules.”
