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New premium packaging for Wood's Old Navy Rum

Published:  20 April, 2016

Wood's Old Navy Rum has undergone an identity overhaul to update its "dated" packaging.

William Grant & Sons UK has repackaged Wood's Old Navy Rum with help from UK design agency Purple Creative, which has just completed a 10-month project for the brand.

The recipe for the rum has not changed since it was created in 1887 and is still made to the original navy recipe.

However, market research performed on consumers found that the original bottle was dated and had limited shelf appeal.

Purple specialises in alcohol design and work with several booze brands including Hendrick's Gin, Grant's, Peroni and Pilsner Urquell.

The last big re-brand project they did was creating the new identity for Glenfiddich.

Purple Founding Partner and Creative Director, Steve Bewick said: "Our objective was to make the Wood's bottle and packaging more premium, iconic and memorable. We conducted extensive research into the history and heritage of Wood's, unearthing facts about the brand inspired by its rich naval heritage and traditions."

Some of the changes to the bottle include increasing the thickness of the glass and restoring a cork to the bottle.

Bewick explained: "We gave the Wood's bottle an overhaul - a stronger, sturdier bottle with thicker glass to represent the strength of the liquid (57% ABV) and the toughness of sailors in the British Navy in the eighteenth century when they were given their daily ration of rum.

"We also added a cork to make it more premium and more authentic, as original bottles on board would have had corks."

In addition, the pastel illustration of the sailor from the old bottle has been changed to a bolder image.

The new image is intended to be a more realistic representation of seaman in and around the early 1900s and is intended to be the anchor for the brand's new visual identity.

It is the only Demerara rum still bottled at 57% ABV - the minimum strength of rums originally served on board British Navy ships.

Demerara rum is a blend of three Guyana rums made from Demerara black strap molasses.

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