Problem Solved:

Making News While a Flagship Whisky Rests

Industry

Alcohol Beverage, Spirits, Luxury

Type of Work

Creative Strategy
Identity & Packaging Design
Structural Design and Finishing
Launch Materials

INSIGHT

A WIN-WIN FOR CLIENT AND COLLECTOR

Whisky lovers worldwide pride themselves on their access and experience with unique and heralded spirits. Yet distilling and racking barrels of whisky and patiently waiting years for the liquid to mature is a long (and expensive) journey. To seed engagement with Virginia Distillery Company’s flagship Courage & Conviction American Single Malt whisky while it rests and matures, the independent, family-owned distillery wanted to give fans a taste of what’s to come.

BACKGROUND

A GLIMPSE OF WHAT’S TO COME

Amidst early fanfare, Virginia Distillery Company decided to bottle a limited number of cases as a pre-release showcase of Courage & Conviction. Collectors and experience seekers have first access and the opportunity to try an early edition prior to the full release, aging an additional season before its scheduled launch in Spring 2020. As a business strategy, the pre-release would build awareness and excitement with the whisky community ahead of their long-awaited national Flagship release. With the brand name, identity and bespoke glass bottle and packaging design completed for the flagship, the challenge for Trinity was to connect to the flagship, reflect the exquisite liquid inside, support the premium price-point, and stand tall among other limited-edition world-class spirits. All of this would need to be done without minimizing the specialness of what’s to come.

SOLUTION

BUILDING EXCITEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT

We began by exploring a range of brand architecture solutions for the Virginia Distillery Company portfolio that would work for the existing lineup and anticipate future product innovations. The expressive scripted Prelude brandmark alludes to the crafted, personal nature of the family-owned distillery, the limited nature of the offering, and the strong connection to the founder. The bespoke bottle is an industry standout, borrowing from the Single Malt traditions, a disruption from the shorter bottles typically used for typical American Whiskey – with its thick base and tall, proud shoulders. The bottle silhouette connects the two flagship editions and distinguishes them from Virginia Distillery Company’s existing cask finished portfolio, the Virginia- Highland Whisky series. The long vertical label is distinctive for the category, and metallic copper detailing nods to the distillery and the brand’s signature imported copper-pot stills. For a Prelude to Courage & Conviction truly worthy of its flagship.

“Trinity has been a key partner in bringing our newest product line, Courage & Conviction, to life. Their process-driven approach to developing our luxury packaging and associated touchpoints has been critical to the introduction of this brand. They respectfully balanced our business objectives with a deep understanding of what whisky aficionados look for in a world-class spirit to help us create this powerful American Single Malt whisky brand to lead our portfolio.”

Marlene Steiner - Virginia Distillery Company