Grouse to get makeover

Highland Distillers has unveiled a new identity for The Famous Grouse in a bid to make the brand more approachable.

The new bottle and labelling are intended to back up an advertising and promotional campaign worth more than £2.5million this year.

The Famous Grouse packaging changed little in the first 80 years after it was first made in 1896, and the "Quality in an Age of Change" slogan introduced in the early 1970s was used for 20 years.

Now Highland Distillers wants to get away from the brand's conservative, staid image and inject some of the warmth and humour of its recent 'Icon' advertisements, which brought the grouse to life."We felt the brand's personality was understated, and wanted to make it more welcoming," said Ken Grier, global controller for The Famous Grouse.

Grier admitted that a key part of the campaign was to target younger drinkers, although he said the new identity would also maintain loyalty among older drinkers.

The bottle design features widened shoulders and Victorian style moulding, while the label features a new grouse painting described as "more emotive and confident." For the first time, the rear label specifically mentions the inclusion of malt whiskies The Macallan and Highland Park in the blend.

Grier said he wanted The Famous Grouse to be one of the world's top five whiskies. It is currently ninth in terms of global sales with a market share of 2.9 per cent.

"We anticipate that the new packaging will bring even further growth and underline our position as an international brand," he said.