Part of the Pernod Ricard portfolio, Ballantine’s is the world’s second largest Scotch whisky brand with a strong heritage and tradition –there have been only five Master Blenders in the brand’s 180 year history. The 12 year old is the flagship for export and Ballantine’s wanted to refresh and rejuvenate for a new generation of drinkers in world markets.

Our brief was to give the brand a facelift, including a refreshed identity, bottle shape and surface design and carton and an off-pack identity scheme for the master brand. The new design had to be sensitive to brand equities and remain true to its DNA.

The 12 year old has been given a subtle, strong update – a more masculine bottle shape, a crisp split label and the use of the silver GBS coin to provide the hallmark of distilling expertise. A UV varnish on the label gives a glow in the bar light. Everything about the off pack identity scheme says contemporary style and good taste, making strong use of the Ballantine’s blue and embossed seal.