Design Consultancy
Lewis Moberly
Robert Moberly
020 7580 9252
robert.moberly@lewismoberly.com
www.lewismoberly.com
The Challenge
Pol Roger champagne was launched in 1849 and is today one of only three grande marque champagne houses still independently and wholly owned by the founding family. The UK is the largest market for champagne outside France, valued at £1.22billion (Euro1.81billion), but has seen changes in recent years. In 2002 volume market growth was around 9%. Since then, however, the market has seen deep discounting and is highly fragmented. By 2006 volume market growth had fallen to 1.1%. Pol Roger had a loyal but static following in the UK and remained underexposed among younger consumers. It needed to change.
The Brief
Lewis Moberly was briefed to update Pol Roger’s packaging to reflect the brand’s exceptional quality and appeal to younger consumers as well as traditional, older buyers. The packaging had to work cohesively across the main range of five champagnes as well as the prestige Cuvee, Sir Winston Churchill. The objective was to grow volume sales twice as fast as the market. To do that, consumers had to be convinced to try the product.
The Design
All bottles now carry the new brand identity designed by Lewis Moberly using an elegant, handwritten script and a new house marque which incorporates a shield and interlinked monogram. A fresh colour palette has been introduced across labels, bottle foils and gift boxes. For the Sir Winston Churchill Cuvee, marine blue, burgundy and gold predominate, recalling the colours of Churchill’s uniform as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, and the product’s presentation box uses careful detailing and luxury tactile finishes including a linen cloth-like cover and burgundy velvet in the interior.
The results The main range redesign was launched in 2003 and the Sir Winston Churchill in May 2006. Sales of Sir Winston Churchill have outstripped market growth by 10,000% and are now at the product’s UK volume ceiling. From 2003 to 2006 Pol Roger grew its market share by 66% and annual sales for the four years since launch are well above the four years pre-launch, despite those years including 1999 when the Millennium saw a bumper year for champagne sales. Parent company Pol Roger et Cie is now purchasing additional vineyards in Champagne in order to increase volume production.
Judges Comments
The sales growth here was ‘phenomenal’ said the judges, who praised the ‘substantial numbers’ in this ‘compelling’, ‘solid and irrefutable’ story. ‘It wasn’t anything else they did, it was pure packaging design,’ added Ted Mager, Head of Global Retail Development at Adidas-Salomon, and the panel was also impressed that as a result of this success, Pol Roger has been given the confidence to invest in the future.
