Introduction
Since the late 1990s, whisky packaging has experienced a significant transformation, particularly as single malts have ascended to the status of premium spirits. This shift coincided with a burgeoning single malt market, where the demand for these spirits was rapidly increasing. Given that single malts are positioned as premium products, their packaging must convey the quality of the spirit within. Over time, packaging has become a crucial in driving sales, with significant investments made in its design to ensure it not only stands out on the shelf but also communicates the essence of the product effectively.
Packaging effectively acts as a brand’s final marketing touchpoint, operating as a silent salesman that sways consumer choices. Given that single malts typically cost twice as much as blended whiskies, consumers may be reluctant to purchase if they’re not convinced of the quality or taste. This caution prompts brands to invest heavily in marketing efforts to build consumer trust and loyalty. For example, during product relaunches, companies often distribute samples in miniature bottles to encourage trials without necessitating a full purchase. A prominent case of this strategy’s success is the 2003 relaunch of “The Glenlivet,” which resulted in an 80% increase in sales for its 12-year-old malt, 66% for the 15-year-old, and 35% for the 18-year-old, achieving or even exceeding their sales goals. This highlights how strategic packaging, combined with other marketing tactics, can substantially enhance sales.
Understanding the Whisky Packaging Industry
Increasingly, the whisky market is also facing environmental pressures, and the packaging industry is entering a phase of change in order to meet new environmental targets set by governments. There are global targets to reduce carbon emissions and non-biodegradable waste that is contributing to climate change, and in order to counter this, there are increasing taxes and penalties for companies that use materials which are damaging to the environment. This affects the whisky industry in two ways, both by the environmental effect of the production of packaging materials and the taxes applied to packaging companies, which will result in increased cost in packaging.
The whisky industry is facing competition from other spirit markets, and packaging is seen as a way to maintain whisky as a premium product. Recent market research has shown that the 45-64 age group, which is the key whisky drinking market, has an increasing amount of disposable income, meaning that there is potential for growth in the premium market. However, whisky producers should not be complacent in their current market position and expect that sales will automatically increase. There are new emerging markets in Eastern Europe, Asia, and South America where the premium image of whisky is yet to be established. Investment in new packaging as a means to establish a brand in these markets will be of increasing importance, and the first step is whisky producers understanding the growing market potential and their new consumer targets.
Packaging is a key differentiator in consumer markets, with consumers making judgments on the quality of a product by the quality of its packaging. This is particularly true of premium whisky, where the packaging is seen as integral to the product and its branding. There is an expectation by consumers of a high-quality, luxury feel to the packaging, which must reflect the price of the product. The packaging is also seen as a collectible piece in its own right, and there have been instances of limited edition whiskies being bought in multiples so that collectors can keep one unopened. This is seen as a lucrative side market for whisky producers.
Balancing Tradition and Modernity in Design
Despite whiskey’s historical roots, brands are in the present era competing for consumer attention like never before. The function of whiskey has changed wildly; once an everyday tipple, it is now more likely to be found in a contemplative sip after dinner. This reality imposes a contradiction in desiring to evoke whiskey’s storied past in packaging, yet still wanting to appear contemporary and relevant to today’s market. “It’s probably the most challenging category that I can think of, because you have to have that duality in the design,” is how Kevin Shaw, design director for Denomination, puts it. “You have to be very traditional, in terms of reaching back to a very artisanal, crafted, almost medieval kind of look, and at the same time you have to bring it up to date and make it appealing to the current consumer.” Remaining the torchbearer of the old guard, whiskey drinkers are intensely connected to tradition, of which Scotland is seen as the monolithic home of whiskey. David Cole of Coley Porter Bell elaborates: “I think there’s a grace and a way of coming across that manages to be still quite modern but at the same time deeply steeped in tradition. In some ways, this link to tradition may only be exploited, with ‘product stories’ being inscribed verbatim into packaging. A common motif to represent Scotland on labels is the antique map of the country; however, as the whisky market saturates, such clichés may lose power and a more subtle approach will be needed.”
The Creative Process of Designing Whisky Packaging
Usually, in the beginning stages of research, mood boards are created. These are visual boards consisting of imagery and text to present potential ideas and styles that could be utilized during concept development. This is a useful tool to bring together all the designers and represent the brand. Whisky is usually associated with luxury, manliness, and authenticity, and many brands will use these resources to present and define their product’s future design direction.
Research the Brand: The first task is to research the brand and its identity. The main objective could be to design new packaging for an existing brand or for a brand identity yet to be established. If the latter is the case, it is crucial to understand what the company is trying to achieve with their product and their target audience, and then design the brand and packaging around this information. If the product is to stand out at the point of sale as a high-end, high-quality item, then the brand and packaging will need to reflect this with the use of high-quality materials, intricate print techniques, and unique structures. In this situation, the packaging will need to sell features of the product such as its history, provenance, and quality.
Design is a language, and like any language, the better you understand it, the better you can communicate. Therefore, a crucial first stage in the creative process of designing premium packaging is to build a strong knowledge base regarding the brand/product, its identity, who its customer is, and the context in which the product will be used or purchased.
Technical Considerations for Premium Whisky Packaging
For a spirit enthusiast, the only thing worse than an empty bottle of the brown stuff is a package that falls apart. The luxury packaging must not only look fabulous on the shelf, but it must do its job in protecting the product inside. In the context of the premium packaging function, there are several points that must be considered. The first of these is the most crippling factor of all: cost. Whisky is both a luxury product and a relatively inexpensive one when the purchase of one bottle is compared with the price of a bottle of brandy or spiced rum. Having said that, the cheaper it is to get your whisky out of its packaging and the fewer ruined tops of bottles there are, the more likely a customer is to buy your product. It is for this reason that the sustainability of the packaging is a very important factor. If the packaging breaks or falls apart in getting a single bottle of whisky to the shelf, it will have done more harm than good to the sale of the product. It will be seen as an inferior product and is more likely to be overlooked in the future. On the other side of the scale is the cost of manpower. If the packaging is too complex to assemble, it will require more time to do so, hence increasing the cost.
The actual product, of course, is a fundamental aspect; a premium whisky inherently demands a higher price, and thus, more costly packaging can be justified. As a whisky packaging box manufacturer, another critical consideration is the conditions the package will endure over its lifetime. The whisky box is likely to be frequently handled before purchase—it will be moved and handled to and from the production facility, to storage, to distribution, and finally, to the shop floor. Throughout its journey, it may face various climatic conditions. Extreme temperatures and humidity levels can detrimentally affect certain materials, and aging cardboard packaging left unattended in a warehouse for extended periods may become tainted or damaged. The package must be durable enough to withstand these factors. Ultimately, consumers seek to purchase products that have been well-protected. A whisky bottle with a damaged box will be perceived as aged, inferior, or mistreated. As a whisky packaging box manufacturer, it is crucial to ensure that the packaging conveys that the product inside has remained unaltered. Consumers often purchase high-end whisky for special or rare occasions, and it might be stored for years before being opened. It is expected that the whisky must maintain the highest quality when it is finally consumed. This expectation will not be met if the whisky’s packaging has failed to adequately protect it while on the shelf.