With Corona Extra growing double digits in an increasingly fragmented beer market, it’s 99 calorie sibling was finding it harder to stand out. The team at Trinity Brand Group was brought in as the strategic design partner to breathe new life into the brand, give it a strong and distinctive shelf presence, and to reinforce and strengthen the “The Light Cerveza” brand proposition and premium positioning.
Corona Extra was already firmly positioned in minds of consumers as a sessionable and refreshing product (light!). Moreover, the similarity between the Extra and Light designs was contributing to the perception of “sameness”. To grow Corona Light, the visual identity needed to leverage the positive equities of the Corona masterbrand to differentiate it from other high end competitors while developing its own visual expression to deliver the unique product proposition and energetic, upbeat brand personality.
To solve the “Corona Paradox” challenge Trinity began by evaluating the portfolio architecture to find the right relationship between Corona Light and the Corona Extra parent brand. We believed a shift away from Corona Extra could help consumers take a fresh look at Corona Light and bring new drinkers into the franchise. Leveraging Corona masterbrand equities was key to deliver the authentic connection back to Mexico but certain elements needed to stretch to avoid consumer confusion and build additional meaning into the Corona Light brand.
The Trinity team leveraged the brand’s iconic crown (corona) in a fresh way, using it as a launching point to infuse an upbeat personality and modernity to this authentic Mexican brand. The new design represents the sweet spot between coherence and differentiation, leveraging the power, visibility and authentic elements from the Corona masterbrand while giving Corona Light its own visual voice. We established Corona Yellow as the primary brand color for Light, reserving Corona Blue to be the dominant color for Extra. The horizon line, a key part of the Corona packaging, was maintained to help brand block on shelf and maintain the family look. Finally, “The Light Cerveza” was given a more prominent place in the visual hierarchy on pack, creating a bold lockup with Corona Light and firmly establishing the proposition.
The new can truly reflects the fun and upbeat personality of the brand. The white and yellow combination are light and refreshing and the super-sized crown adds a fun and unexpected element which subsequently builds from the Corona masterbrand. Though a key purchase driver on the secondary packaging, the 99-calorie message is purposely omitted on the primary packages, reflecting consumer insight which suggests people do not want to be reminded of calories when enjoying their beer. Overall the new visual identity and packaging makes a bold impact shelf – creating a strong brand block with Corona Extra, but creating a clear and distinct impression all its own. The new more vibrant expression is being rolled out across all consumer touchpoints and is a hit with consumers and retailers alike.
Trinity Brand Group
817 Bancroft Way
Berkeley, California 94710
510 982 7177 (t) 510 982 7188 (f)
Trinity Brand Group
Ensoleillé, La Touche Park, Greystones
County Wicklow, Ireland
+353 1 201 6652 (t)
