Work Labs is a graphic design agency in Richmond, Virginia. They are none to happy with New Belgium. The agency is pretty miffed about similarities to artwork they did for a brand called “Work Beer” a few years ago. The agency designed the campaign for [unnamed] Colorado brewery, which loved the ads, but didn’t launch the beer. Work Labs has called out the brewery on their blog, and their apparent theft of the art. On Twitter, they have tried reaching out to Mashable, and the Huffington Post. 
The connection? Work Labs is stating that the work they did for “Work Beer” was past to the ad agency in Colorado that happens to be the same agency for New Belgium.
Interesting: At no point does it mention Work Labs contacting the brewery, attorney, or the PR agency in Colorado.
Editor’s Commentary: I recently contacted Work Labs and they did not respond. I would think if you have strong case of intellectual theft, don’t go complaining on your blog. Grow a set and contact the supposed thief, or call a lawyer. At least the offender first. To Work Lab’s credit? The work is impressive and was way ahead of it’s time. Is it the brewery’s fault? Or did the PR agency put New Belgium in a precarious situation?
Below, you’ll see some interesting parallels to the artwork for Work Beer, and New Belgium. There are more on their website. (Link above.) They even want you to vote on how they should feel.
I went to college in Richmond and there was an actual work beer that was sold, so it was more than just a creative ad pitch, it actually made it to production. Not sure who did it though, it was still in the infancy of the craft beer movement, 1999-2000s. Does anybody else recall drinking a Work?
It was developed by the guy who owns the agency referenced above. He contract brewed it through a now-defunct brewery in RVA, but retained the brand name and design after they went out of business.
They don’t really look that similar…