“Skoutari” is produced in the Cretan village of Kritsa. It is an extra virgin organic olive oil of the Koroneiki variety – characterised as of pharmaceutical grade by the European Union, due to its high polyphenol levels and excellent nutritional values. The word “skoutari” means “shield” and is borrowed from the lyrics of the Greek poem “Erotokritos” by Vincenzo Cornaro. In this romantic early Cretan poem, it protects the protagonist in a jousting tournament. A tournament between Erotokritos and the prince, to win over the beautiful Aretousa. This works as a metaphor for the way in which the olive oil protects the human body.
Inspired by the ancient Greek black and terracotta figure ceramics, in terms of both colour palette and form, the technique of linocut printing was chosen to be used for the creation of “Skoutari” olive oil main illustration and the bottle was coloured accordingly. With this technique, the illustrative style of the composition is preserved while simulating the texture of ceramic pots. The galloping horses, a reminder of Erotokritos’ jousting, make them come alive on the surface of the packaging.
The typography and text layout on “Skoutari” olive oil packaging, is an inspired variation of the first printed edition of “Erotokritos” (1723), emphasising as such the olive oil’s origin and distinct character. The small caps along with the adjacent accents, the font alluding to an early greek adaptation of Garamond font and the size shifting (early small caps), intensify the man-made feeling – which, in combination with the hand printed illustration, highlight the humanistic element behind the production of Skoutari olive oil.
Packaging for “Skoutari olive oil” from Vardas family cultivators has won a Red Dot in the Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design 2020.
