Transforming a luxury bottle into a data & VIP engine

Mr. & Mrs. Bourbon

COMPANY

Top Tier Authentics

ROLE

Product Designer

What I solved

The premium spirits market loses $4.6B annually to counterfeits. The moment a bottle left the store, the brand lost the customer.

The challenge was to rebuild trust and connection after purchase, turning a one-time transaction into an ongoing relationship.

The challenge was to rebuild trust and connection after purchase, turning a one-time transaction into an ongoing relationship.

The strategy

I led research focused on two key personas:

The Connoisseur

Values provenance and authenticity

The Brand Owner

Needs customer data and retention

The solution combined Web3 security with luxury-grade storytelling UX.

Understanding the modern whiskey enthusiast

Mapped motivations, trust barriers, and purchase rituals to design an experience that feels premium - not promotional.

Aligning brand heritage with digital touchpoints

Identified where producers lose customer connection - and how a digital COA could restore ownership, data, and trust.

Translating research into a premium experience system

Defined content structure, visual direction, and benefit layers for a brand-specific digital experience built on authenticity.

The Experience

Designed a custom, brand-specific experience layer for the existing Digital Certificate of Authenticity - tailored exclusively for Mr. & Mrs. Bourbon.

Dedicated ownership page with premium storytelling

Exclusive brand sections

Authentication became the entry point to a curated brand experience, rather than a purely technical verification step.

IMPACT

100% guaranteed provenance

100% customer data capture
at the moment of scan

+15% projected lifetime value as the bottle became a living brand touchpoint

Significantly higher engagement vs QR campaigns

More than a technical solution, this experience became a bridge between the brand and its community - transforming verification into a moment of pride, curiosity, and connection. Crafting a premium experience layer for Mr. & Mrs. Bourbon was an opportunity to shape how authenticity feels, looks, and lives in the real world.

Thanks for reading!

Glad we could cross paths.

I hope it left you with a bit of curiosity and inspiration.

© Andrei Laputs, 2026

© Andrei Laputs, 2026

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