A traditional York-based craft brewery was keen to create a visual identity that reflected the award-winning taste of its beers.
While Rudgate’s original labelling was loved by a small, existing fanbase, it was a confused mix of styles and had an overtly macho image. A new design was needed to propel it from simply being a cask offer to local pubs, to a product that stood out on national supermarket shelves.
On a very limited budget, the redesigned packaging was streamlined across both the casks and bottled beers
using a recognisable sun-burst icon. It stayed true to Rudgate’s Viking roots and resisted the temptation to follow ‘on-trend’ design solutions to avoid alienating the existing customer base.
The rebranding resulted in a 22% year- on-year increase in turnover, going from £880,000 to £1,070,000. With Tesco and Sainsbury’s both now stocking the products, Rudgate exceeded their six-month objective of gaining listings in one additional supermarket.
