Following a strategic redesign, Gordon & MacPhail Whiskies’ sales increased by 25% within a year, more than doubling the average rise in value across the sector.
Interest in premium whisky was flourishing and Gordon & MacPhail wanted to take advantage of growing demand. In order to unlock the true value of its 300+ whiskies, the business engaged Contagious to address the complexity of its product portfolio.
Eleven whisky ranges were reconstructed into an accessible five, each designed to be distinct while identifiably part of the same family. A clear consumer pathway was created with packaging cues differentiating the proposition of each range and demonstrating different price points. From the bottle design, to the labels and outer packaging, as the value of each product increases, the semiotics reflect more exclusivity.
The portfolio is now more accessible to both trade and consumers and the business has been able to maximise opportunities within a buoyant sector, releasing more stock at a higher value. Within a year, value sales of its luxury products grew 61%, while the global luxury market grew only 4%.
Since the redesign in 2016/17, Gordon & MacPhail’s case prices have increased by 109% on average. It has been able to grow gross profit through higher margins, not additional volume, with revenue increasing 71% from selling 18% less whisky. Having previously had negligible awareness in the luxury sector in Taiwan, Germany, France and the US, the brand is now readily recognised across these key markets.
