Sandboy is a small, independent startup based in Byron Bay, Australia, offering a unique and refreshing blend of Australia’s favourite coconut water brand – Raw C – and vodka, launching with Original and Lychee flavours. The launch strategy was tightly intertwined with its audience: start small, get into the right bars and the hands of the right people. By localising its origins and building cultural relevance from the ground up, Sandboy aimed to become a cult favourite before scaling. Within a year of its modest launch, Sandboy exceeded expectations and is now widely available across Byron Bay and has been picked up by Australia’s largest alcohol retailer, Dan Murphy’s.

We leaned into the tropical notes of coconut and the coastal lifestyle of Byron Bay, drawing inspiration from the golden age of beachside leisure in the 1950s and ’60s. This was a time when days were sun-filled and wholesome, and nights were anything but. The concept was to channel vintage resort culture with a twist of adult irreverence. We referenced old travel brochures, signage, and calling cards to create a brand that gives nostalgia a playful and mildly unsettling edge – striking a balance between coastal leisure and mischief, perfectly aligned with Sandboy’s product and personality.

Typography echoes our vintage research but with a modern nod. The visual identity is intentionally offbeat. Imagery combines royalty-free vintage assets, creating a tone that is playful, slightly surreal, and unmistakably Sandboy. The colour palette and graphic treatments evoke sun-faded postcards and retro resort signage. Packaging and collateral are designed to feel like souvenirs from a place you’re not quite sure existed.

Sandboy is becoming a cultural artefact – by tapping into a time and place, and blending nostalgia with irreverence, the brand creates emotional resonance and social currency. Its small-scale, targeted launch strategy supports the local economy and builds authentic community engagement. Sandboy proves that small brands can punch well above their weight with the right mix of strategy, storytelling, and design.