Is a redesign needed for your wine brand?

The importance of constant brand evolution

By Nina Chalmers

Regardless of the size of your company, or the nature of your products and distribution, constant innovation is required to ensure that you retain your connection with your target market. Nina Chalmers, Creative Director at CoLLECT Design provides first-hand insight into embracing change for enhanced perception of your brand.

Think about the brands that have stood the test of time… Coca-Cola, Nike, Kodak and Veuve Clicquot, who’ve been in the game since 1772!

We all know their slogans and logos, even though they’ve evolved over the years.

But it’s this constant self-evaluation and reinvention, based on the changing needs of the marketplace that has ensured the longevity and relevance of these brands.

Think of it as growing up with your customers, evolving as their needs change.

It is especially important to ensure that your wines continue to have appeal for newcomers to the market.

Changes to branding don’t have to be radical. Minor evolutions over time are effective too, like keeping typography and colour subtly in line with current trends can keep your packaging looking fresh.

However, in some cases, radical change is needed in order to yield game-changing results.

If your wine is good, but your distributors lack enthusiasm about the product, or your wines aren’t being stocked in the restaurants you believe they belong in, it may be time for some strategic design thinking.

If you are serious about brand success, seek the expertise of an experienced branding and packaging designer.

They will guide you through the elevation of the look and feel of your packaging, until it tells the story of your wine.

Case Study: The Hedonist – Walter Clappis Wine Co.
The Hedonist brand was established over ten years ago. Walter Clappis recognised something of himself in the in the idea of immersing oneself in all of the delights life has to offer, and so the story began.

 

THE HEDONIST – BEFORE REDESIGNING

 

A new addition
While Clappis was building his brand and selling his biodynamic wine philosophy with a range of popular wines at one price point, very little changed until the addition of a new Reserve label in 2013.

This Shiraz was exceptional and distributors loved the luxury appeal of new packaging.

With the elevated perception of the brand, sales increased by a whopping 30% across the entire range.

Moving with the changing demands of the global market, and updates to wine label compliance, a year later, CoLLECT proposed a minor evolution of the existing range which included their awarded Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Sangiovese and a Rosé.

With new typography and refined balance, the overall look was cleaner and more contemporary.

 

“The Rosé was not selling well until the CoLLECT facelift, which saw production double and the product sell out in a quarter of the time, compared to the previous year”

 

Embracing change
Following the success of the Reserve, in 2015 CoLLECT were briefed to redesign the Rosé label.

The wine was good, but it was not selling as well as it should have.

Maintaining the integrity of the established brand, the new look was to be feminine, but not garish or silly.

The addition of a pale dusty pink, or a flower to the mouth of the pig was suggested.

The solution
Having spent time getting to know the family behind the brand, the creative team had formed a strong connection with them, and genuinely come to understand their passion for the wines they produced.

Inspired by the sensory experience of the wine – its colour, taste and the delicate strawberry and rose petal bouquet, the possibilities for the design solution began to take shape.

Market appeal
From a consumers’ point of view, from selection to consumption, the enjoyment of wine should delight all five senses.

After almost eight years in the market, The Hedonist brand was well established and the timing was perfect for a significant change; a bold statement that would visually tell the story of the fresh, delicate wine and the family who produce it.

Elevated brand perception
As briefed, a floral element was incorporated, but rather than popping a rose into the pig’s mouth, we took the portrayal of the wine’s strawberry, floral notes to the extreme.

The result is an enlarged but stripped back version of ‘Pig’, filled with delicate spring flowers and imagery that captures the fun-loving nature of the pig as he delights in every aspect of his pleasure-seeking life.

 

THE HEDONIST – AFTER REDESIGN

Cost efficiencies
To offset the floral focal point of the label, the mechanically grained 80gsm cast coated label was replaced by a heavier, 105gsm paper stock.

The old Rosé label was very large, so the size was decreased to prevent unnecessary cost and difficult application.

This change offset the cost of the more premium paper stock.

Increased consumer demand
The change strengthened their brand presence in the market, which in turn increased their sales and profitability.

‘The Rosé was not selling well until the CoLLECT facelift, which saw production double and the product sell out in a quarter of the time, compared to the previous year.’ – Walter Clappis

Onward and upward
Building on this success, in collaboration with The Hedonist team CoLLECT developed a design strategy to reinvigorate other varietals to boost the integrity and competitiveness of the brand as a whole, with a view to improving their bottom line.

A carnival of change
Inspired by the look and feel of the floral Rosé, the new Sangiovese draws on the spirit of Italy while the Tempranillo features characteristic Spanish icons, filling the pig with sumptuous colour – each varietal with a complementary palette of its own.

A thicker, more premium, uncoated Super Opaque White paper is selected.

Although slightly more expensive, removing the grain provides a cost saving, while the luxurious paper texture delivers the perception of a quality product.

Typography selected for the Rosé is carried across to the other varietals in the price point for consistency, which subliminally builds trust in the consumer.

The pig brand icon on the Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon is enlarged and the position of the brand name is consistent across the range, building the brand integrity.

 

A note from the writer: Until recently, CoLLECT design was known as Graphic Language Design. Our company has evolved, and we believe the new name captures our essence more succinctly. After years of delivering design strategies that empower our clients to develop and evolve their brands with measurable results, the time came to reassess our own. We’re still in the same Adelaide-based studio and led by the same creative team, but our why is now clearly to connect vision and emotion to create design solutions with a purpose. http://www.collectdesign.com.au