Introduction
A distinctive corporate identity for an historic Dutch drinks
company.
Challenge
Herman Jansen produces and distributes spirits, wines and
non-alcoholic syrups in over 50 countries worldwide. Founded in
1777, the company has remained in the Jansen family for six
generations and now markets a vast portfolio of traditional Dutch
and international brands, including market leaders such as Sonnema
Berenberg and Jachtbitter. After trading under the UTO name for
more than a century, the company wanted to return to its roots and
re-establish itself with a new corporate identity to reflect the
Jansen family heritage, personality and values.
Solution
Our inspiration was Herman Jansen's own gritty, entrepreneurial
spirit. When he discovered in 1895 that his glass supplier was
selling cheaper to his competition, he was undeterred and founded
UTO to manufacture his own. We embodied Herman's legacy in a
strong, memorable and unique crafted typography and incorporated a
visual pun to represent the company's first ever product: the
'hidden' jenever spirit bottle. Our design has reclaimed the Herman
Jansen name and reconnected it to the heart of the family's
business. There's no limit to the adjectives to describe this
deceptively simple corporate identity: meaningful, confident,
ownable, honest, characterful, original … we could go on …