From Concept to Cork: Two Years of Trailblazing with Saanj Winery

Elexia Johnson
Dec 4
4 min read

In 2023, when Kye and Shahron first reached out about branding their new winery, I knew we were building something that had never existed in Washington: a Black and Punjabi-owned wine brand that could redefine what luxury looks like in an industry that desperately needs more representation. Less than 1% of US wineries are Black-owned, and Punjabi representation in wine? Even rarer.

We spent months crafting what I call "urban luxury"—the soft richness of Punjabi silks meeting the raw texture of concrete city life. The brand launched in February 2024 to a sold-out crowd of over 125 people, complete with Punjabi dancers, emotional speeches, and me signing wine bottles with a Sharpie (still surreal).

But the real work? That started in year two.

From Designer to Creative Partner

Here's what most people don't see: the launch is just the beginning. Once the brand exists in the world, someone has to maintain it, evolve it, stretch it—while keeping the soul intact. That's where the creative partnership retainer comes in.

In 2025, my role shifted from "the designer who made the brand" to Saanj's ongoing creative partner. Everything we do is rooted in collaboration and the continued success of the brand. As the creator of their visual identity, I'm able to keep it consistent while helping them adapt to new opportunities, new retail partnerships, new campaigns.

This year alone, I've directed photography shoots, designed event assets for over 12 activations, built wholesale marketing materials, developed their investor pitch deck, and created countless pieces of content for their social media. But some of my favorite work has happened on what I call media days.

When the Budget Is Tight, I Bring the Camera

Not every small business can afford a professional photographer and videographer for every retail partnership or product launch. So when Saanj needs content but doesn't have the budget, I show up with my camera and we make it work.

This year, we've done three major media days where I acted as photographer, videographer, and content creator:

One day capturing content for their partnerships with Cone & Steiner and Nirmal's Restaurant
Another at Kitchen & Market, their newest retail location
And a third to build out their content library for upcoming campaigns

These aren't just "let's take some photos" sessions. I'm thinking about composition, lighting, storytelling—how to create scroll-stopping content that actually moves the needle for a small brand competing against legacy names with big marketing budgets.

The Reel That Made People Stop Scrolling

One of those media days produced my proudest piece of content for Saanj: a reel set to Sade's "Is It a Crime."

The concept was simple but cheeky: the wine is singing to you, trying to seduce you into drinking it. We filmed intimate close-ups of the bottle, poured glasses catching light, and—in one shot—panned across a wall of wines at a retail location. That moment, where you can see how much Saanj's bottles stand out on a crowded shelf? That's branding working exactly how it's supposed to.

The metrics told the story:

1.9K views (strong for their account size)
92 total interactions (likes, comments, shares, saves)
49% skip rate vs. their usual 58-62%

That last stat is the one that matters most. At a time when the algorithm was brutal and people were scrolling past almost everything, this reel made people stop and watch. For a small brand trying to break through, that's everything.

The Work Continues

Right now, we're in the middle of launching Saanj's latest wine: the Grenache, featuring another one of my original illustrations on the label. After our most recent photography session, I have a lineup of content to create—posts, stories, reels—to support the campaign.

Saanj is now available at five Seattle-area locations: Lucy's Bottle Shop, Kitchen & Market, Flora & Fauna, Nirmal's Indian Restaurant, and Métier Brewing. And there are some exciting things coming in 2026 as we move into our third year of partnership—things I can't share just yet.

But I can say this: Saanj isn't slowing down. And neither am I.

Why This Matters

Saanj Winery is proof that representation and luxury can—and should—coexist. It's proof that when you honor someone's full story, the work becomes something deeper than design. It becomes a statement.

Kye and Shahron aren't waiting for permission to take up space in an industry that wasn't built for them. They're creating it. And I'm honored to be the one helping them tell that story visually—not just at launch, but in the months and years that follow.

This is what I mean when I talk about turning underdogs into trailblazing brands. It's not just about the logo or the color palette. It's about being the creative partner who shows up when the budget is tight, who thinks strategically about every piece of content, who understands that great branding is a long game.

Saanj isn't just competing with legacy wine brands. They're redefining what wine culture can look and feel like in Washington. And I get to be part of that evolution.

Want to see the full Saanj Winery case study? Read it here.

Interested in a creative partnership retainer for your own brand? Schedule a free consultation—let's talk about how ongoing creative support can help your business grow beyond the launch.