Made to a unique, 'protected' style, Plymouth is the
quintessential English gin and was declared the number one premium
gin in the UK during the early noughties. Over the past decade,
however, Plymouth has found itself up against increasingly stiff
competition from the growing number of premium and artisan gins on
the market. In light of the current trend for authenticity and
heritage, Pernod Ricard felt that Plymouth's contemporary take on
art deco styling was inappropriate and asked us to create an
alternative that would reassert the brand's rich heritage,
safeguard its reputation and boost its market position.
We enjoy nothing more than delving into the archives to journey
to the heart of a brand and Plymouth, steeped in local, seafaring
and distilling history, yielded a treasure trove to inspire our
creative idea: 'Looking Back to Look Forward'. The Pilgrim Fathers
spent their last night in England in what is now the Black Friar's
Distillery - the oldest working gin distillery in the country - so
we reinstated the Mayflower as the Plymouth label's hero. From the
copper of the original 1793 still, in which the gin is still made,
to the distillery and the jovial Black Friar himself, we
rediscovered and reunited the brand's key heritage elements, some
of which were in danger of being forgotten. We have woven together
every thread of Plymouth's story and literally captured its spirit
in an 'uneven' glass bottle that looks like it fell out of a 19th
Century sailor's back pocket. We have created a sympathetic design
that is the embodiment of Plymouth's crafting, integrity and
authenticity. Plymouth's Original, Navy Strength and Sloe gins now
stand out, with honest dignity, on the shelf and behind the
bar.