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New Grey Goose Packaging

by First name Last name on 04/02/2009 | 3 Minute Read

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New work for Grey Goose Vodka from Pentagram:

"A Pentagram team led by John Rushworth and Daniel Weil has designed three packaging projects for the premium Vodka brand, Grey Goose. The introduction of the packaging is one of a number of ongoing initiatives undertaken by Grey Goose’s parent company, Bacardi,to refocus the brand for its international luxury markets and build onan already impressive rise to success in the United States.

Launchedin 1997, Grey Goose was created for the American market with the visionof creating the world’s best tasting Vodka. Uniquely, it was the firstVodka to be distilled in France and takes full advantage of theepicurean heritage of its base in the Cognac region, famed for its finespirit distilling. In a process overseen by an expert Maître de Chai(cellar master), who ensures the quality and taste of the finishedproduct, selected French wheat is distilled and blended with purespring water that has filtered naturally through the limestone rocks ofthe region to produce a vodka that has won an international reputationfor its purity and taste. Grey Goose was acquired by Bacardi Limited in2004. Keen to capitalise on Grey Goose’s renown in the US, Bacardi have since invested in turning Grey Goose in to an international super-premium brand leader.

While the differences between tastes in international markets may besubtle, the luxury goods market demands distinction and refinement, andsubtle differences become the defining qualities of brands. Pentagram’sobjective became to make astute interventions in the design of thepackaging that maintain the integrity of the international Grey Goosebrand, whilst rebalancing the appeal of Grey Goose for moreinternational luxury tastes. Three packaging opportunities wereidentified: A gift box for a single bottle of Grey Goose Original, alimited edition Flavours gift pack that contains a bottle of Grey GooseOriginal along with taster-sized bottles of the three flavouredvarieties of Grey Goose, and lastly a Grey Goose Baccarat gift boxcontaining two limited edition Baccarat lead crystal tumblers, an aspirational package that would provide the definitive expression of the Grey Goose brand." 

Continue reading about the new packaging and see additional images after the jump.

"The unique shape and finish of the Grey Goose bottle were keyelements in giving the brand its visual distinction, signalling theGrey Goose difference against all other vodkas. But Pentagramrecognised that the brand had to acquire other dimensions to accent itsappeal to the US high-end market. In essence, it had to express theinternational luxury aesthetic more succinctly and more broadly. Toachieve this, a number of initiatives were proposed that would driveperceptions towards a cooler, more chic prospect.

The three new special packs gave the opportunity to rebalance theGrey Goose brand language. For these, the bottle’s grey-goosesilhouette was reduced in size and used to head the Grey Goose logotypeset in a French-blue square. This combination complements and amplifiesthe distinctiveness of the bottle, while adding a level ofold-world sophistication.

Supporting this new approach to the branding was the opportunity todevelop a promotional design language using grey-goose associations –such as feathers, water and eggs. A more restrained colour palette wasintroduced, including policy on Grey Goose taking ownership of thecolour grey and using it to tie in different elements of the newbranding approach. The colour grey draws directly on the brand name andechoes the frosted finish of the bottles. It also evokes purity andsimplicity, considered a virtue in vodkas. The bottle’s ‘tricouleur’graphic was retained for the pack designs, emphasising Grey Goose’sFrench origin."

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