Honolulu-based graphic designer Kenny Vidinich will help launch Cherry Lime Rickey in the Big Apple this week.
Through online voting, Vidinich won the can design contest staged by New York-based AriZona Beverages USA LLC for its 20th anniversary flavor — the aforementioned Cherry Lime Rickey, which itself was chosen through online voting by AriZona fans.
Not exactly a household flavor in Hawaii, Cherry Lime Rickey was and remains a popular flavor in Brooklyn, N.Y., where AriZona Beverages founders Don Vultaggio and John Ferolito originally set up shop.
That is exactly why Vidinich put the words "A Brooklyn original," above the words "Cherry Lime Rickey" in the can design.
His was among thousands of entries submitted that were whittled down by a panel of five design professionals. Five finalists, including Vidinich’s work, were then put out for online voting by fans.
Earlier, AriZona fans were given a choice of three possible anniversary flavors to vote on: Orange Creamsicle, Chocolate Fudge Float and Cherry Lime Rickey, which is described as a slightly carbonated mix of sour, tart and sweet flavors. The third one clearly won.
Vidinich’s winning design netted him $5,000 and a year’s supply of AriZona.
"Originally they were going to fly me to California for the initial production (of the cans)," he said, but then plans changed to invite him to the official launch of the anniversary can he designed at a 7-Eleven store in New York City. He’ll also lunch with some executives during the week.
"I’m pretty excited," he said.
The Chicago native established OneVibe Creative Studios in Honolulu in May 2010 after finishing studies at the Art Institute of Chicago. He first moved to Hawaii in 2004 with a full-ride scholarship to Hawaii Pacific University. "I fell in love with (Hawaii) and never wanted to leave," but after HPU he did — just not for long. He returned and launched his business.
OneVibe’s portfolio of graphic design includes apparel (think graphic T-shirts and the like), branding, illustrations, packaging, photography, promotional work and publication as well as website design.
On his website he expresses a "Big mahalo to AriZona and Creative Allies" for the opportunity.
Creative Allies is an online design community that curates design contests. "They don’t sell anything, and you can’t put your portfolio work up," except for contest submissions, so his AriZona design and another design for a summer tour shirt for the band Slightly Stoopid are on the site. That one also won.
"So I think I might be doing it a little more often," Vidinich said with a laugh.
The one piece of this column that is missing is that it was unclear as of Friday afternoon whether the AriZona 20th anniversary cans of Cherry Lime Rickey, designed by a Hawaii resident, will be available in the islands.
Locally, 7-Eleven Hawaii officials did not have a clear answer, as they were "still researching it," a spokeswoman said.
"I was going to inquire about that when I was there," Vidinich said. He arrives early Wednesday.
The can is the company’s first to bear a quick-response code. Scanning the QR code with a smartphone could win the bearer prizes from free product and branded merchandise to the grand prize, a U.S.-made sport utility vehicle packed full of AriZona Beverages. The contest ends Nov. 2.
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On the Net:
» www.arizona20years.com
