Challenge

We carried out a substantial brand and packaging renovation across the core product ranges for iconic British drinks brand, Ribena. The project is a significant milestone as Ribena seeks to differentiate itself in the minds of consumers and continue to lead sustainability efforts within the drinks sector.

We were tasked to translate latent love for the heritage brand Ribena, into a modern and future-focused brand with sustainability at its heart, relevant to a wider audience through a broader portfolio offering.

The portfolio strategy needed to cover a comprehensive ‘good, better, best’ range, enabling Ribena to take on both everyday family brands, as well as the more premium cordials sector: all the while, keeping the iconic, original core range centre stage.

Throughout the design process for the Ready to Drink product and the broader portfolio, it was important that a commonality was maintained.While each product possesses a uniqueness to it, it was important that all designs still felt visually part of the Ribena family. That way, no matter how different the bottle or label, customers would still be able to associate this brand revolution with the drinks brand we all know, love and respect as a piece of British heritage.

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Insights

To inform the direction of travel, our in-house foresight team of design strategists conducted deep ethnographic research into the perception of the brand amongst its existing and desired consumer base.

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When the research demonstrated that Ribena’s core ranges were in need of modernisation, a portfolio strategy was developed to deliver greater brand stretch across a broader range of occasions and consumers.

The Ready to Drink product has seen its sustainable properties enhanced through a significant reduction in the size of the label and new bottle structure design. This solved a problem concerning the UK’s waste stream: although Ribena’s bottles have always been recyclable, the sleeve’s dark colour and length could stop sensors (at some recycling plants) from identifying the clear, recyclable bottle underneath. This could prevent the bottles from being sorted into the waste stream of plastic which can be turned back into bottles.

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Outcome

The resulting work, across Ribena’s Ready to Drink, Core Squash, Botanical Fruit Cordial and No Added Sugar product ranges, draws on the breadth of our expertise across strategy, foresight, 3D structural and 2D graphic design.

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By adopting an in-depth approach to brand communications through design, underpinned by research, we have been able to further differentiate Ribena’s offering within a competitive market, whilst simultaneously driving positive change for the environment.

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This two-year journey of exploration and discovery has resulted in a re-energised portfolio of products, developed to drive the brand forward and position it ahead of competitors for years to come.

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We are thrilled with the outcome and immensely proud to have been part of this journey with one of Britain’s most iconic drinks brands.