SAVANNAH BOURBON

Setting the Bar for a New Bourbon Brand

New versions of high-end, southern traditions were becoming popular in the Lowcountry of Georgia and South Carolina. Young, countercultural hipsters with high disposable incomes were visiting country clubs and drinking bourbon cocktails. The movement inspired creation of the Savannah Bourbon Company, Georgia’s first bourbon distillery since prohibition. Trinity Brand Group was tapped to develop a brand story, visual expression and packaging for its first line of bourbons made from the highest quality, Georgia-grown ingredients – Savannah 88 and Sweet Tea Lemonade. Trinity realized the potential success for a product that was highly relevant to the new consumer group. The result is a brand with a youthful essence and bad-boy persona, defying many bourbon-branding norms.

INSIGHTS

Craft the Right Recipe

The south is known for Kentucky bourbon and Tennessee whiskey. This is Georgia bourbon, and Georgians are loud and proud. The strategy and execution would need to be a mix: the right amount of Georgia, just enough bourbon and lots of relevance to the hip, sophisticated cocktail culture.

STRATEGY

Tradition with a Twist

Traditional southern meets modern hip sensibility. This was our design strategy. It had all the coolness of the consumer set, broke the stodgy bourbon language and felt classy enough for the country club.

CREATIVE

A Georgia Bourbon – Neat

The Georgia-state-shaped label boasts state pride, and the watercolor artwork captures Savannah’s storied Lowcountry. The strong visual cues to the brand’s birthplace support its story of commitment to premium, handcrafted bourbon. The nod to bourbon’s past is offset with confident, youthful typography and a tone of voice that signals, “This ain’t your daddy’s bourbon!”

“Trinity listened, challenged, proposed and made our crazy idea a reality. From strategy to packaging and in-market materials, they did it all and the consumer and trade response has been incredible.”

Dan Rosenbluth - Board Member, Savannah Bourbon Company