We worked with strategic agency Brand Union to develop new packaging for Red Heart Rum.

 

Red Heart Rum has a strong heritage. The award winning liquid has remained unchanged since 1852, and its distinctive taste has enjoyed a faithful and passionate following in South Africa and internationally.

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After recently developing the bold new positioning of "Live with Heart" - a call to all men and women to live a life that is true to who they are, Brand Union was briefed to create packaging for Red Heart that would truly express the brand's essence - its bold and masculine heart, its authentic liquid and its rallying call to live authentically.

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The packaging had to strike the balance between communicating traditional rum cues, while bringing a new, fresher masculine edge to it. The broad shoulders give a progressive "chest out" feel, the tapered sides end in a chunky base, solidly and proudly grounding it in its heritage. The sides of the bottle are embossed to give a firm, masculine grip so it feels good in the hand, and also to reflect the line work texture on the label design. The bottle features strong iconic embossing on the front and back, bringing to life its origins.

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Gold foil and textured paper provide tension between premium and raw authentic cues. The iconic heart is blood red and vibrant, surrounded by a gold wreath of sugar cane, both of which have been present on the bottle since its original production in 1852. Only the sugar cane now has a slick edge to it, indicating the wild and bold nature of the fiery liquid encased within.
 

All in all, while Red Heart has had quite the refresh, it still feels true to its essence and positioning, in fact it feels even more true to itself now.