VODKA brand Glen’s has unveiled its refreshed identity in a bid to target growth into new markets.
Owners The Loch Lomond Group appointed Glasgow-based creative agency Thirst to ‘orchestrate Glen’s brand evolution’ as it targets a more serious end of the market, celebrating its Scottish provenance.
The brand was launched in 2003 and Thirst’s reimagining of the Scottish spirit has been described as the ‘first significant overhaul’ of its packaging in almost 20 years.
The primary challenge was to overcome the brand’s ‘drifting sense of identity’ – which had become a threat to perceptions of quality and growth.
The agency’s strategy was to lean into Glen’s roots and reposition it as ‘a Sip of Real Scottish Spirit’.
Matt Burns, Thirst’s creative director, explained, “For over 20 years Glen’s has been part of the fabric of Scottish culture, synonymous with so much of what the nation is famous for – its sense of wit and fun. Yet with ongoing fragmentation and a drifting sense of identity affecting quality perception and impeding growth, it was time to reassess the brand direction.
“We wanted to move it away from emulating inauthentic provenance and instead take pride and confidence in its own roots, at the same time retaining its distinct demeanour and straightforward quality that appeal to smart, value-seeking consumers and bring a refreshing lift to the category.”
Thirst’s reimagining of Glen’s Vodka is based in its heritage. A red, white, and gold palette remain, as do lions on the brandmark, but they have been re-crafted in a bid to ‘amplify’ the brand’s taste experience, along with a ‘simplified monogram’ and the addition of a quality panel to add ‘authenticity and origin’ to the product story.
‘Refreshed and modern’ typography against the core palette of red and white are said to underpin provenance, process, and experience as the basis for Glen’s off-pack brand and product messaging – ‘Proudly Original’, ‘Extra Smooth’, ‘Triple Distilled’, and ‘Produced and Bottled in Scotland’.
The same extends into Glen’s campaigns, including its ‘Spirit of Football’ sponsorship of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL).
“With a fresh new story to tell and visual equities to convey it, this fresher, more modern Glen’s stakes its claim to everyday quality, and paves the way for the brand’s braver growth ambitions,” Matt Burns added.
