Branding specialists Brandhouse have been working with De Kuyper to give its premium liqueur, Mandarine Napoleon, a refreshed identity.
Mandarine Napoleon has a rich heritage and is said to have been created for and enjoyed by Napoleon Bonaparte himself. Brandhouse’s brief was to help Mandarine Napoleon tell its story more effectively and to connect with consumers on a higher emotional level by enhancing its historical Napoleonic identity and positioning it as a truly premium product.
Dave Beard, creative director at Brandhouse said, “It’s not every day that you come across a brand that has such an interesting back story and pedigree. This is a genuine piece of history, a drink that was invented by Napoleon’s doctor and favoured by the great man himself. Our challenge was to bring this to life and make it relevant.”
The brand refresh has reinforced the strong visual links with Napoleon to put him back at the heart of the brand. The use of the bee motif was introduced; a symbol that Napoleon had adopted as it represented the idea of industry and a well-ordered society. It also appeared as an embroidered motif on his coronation robes and the drapes around his throne.
Work was also done to ‘premiumise’ the brand image so that it matched the quality of the product, which is still made by traditional methods of macerating mandarin skins in alcohol. The look of the screw cap has been redesigned and the label is now a premium uncoated paper. The ribbon has been also addressed, with an embroidered replacement. The eau de nil colour was brought back, having been the original colour of the brand.
Albert de Heer, International Marketing Manager for De Kuyper said, “Throughout the history of branding, many products have set out to align themselves with historical figures and places in an attempt at projecting authenticity. The rebranding of Mandarine Napoleon required subtlety and finesse in order to elevate what is already an authentic product. We think that the Emperor would approve!”
Photo: new bottle of Mandarine Napoleon designed by Brandhouse