Falcon: FALCON RE-DESIGN

Credits & Description:

Category: ii. Core FMCG

Advertiser: CARLSBERG SWEDEN

Product/Service: BEER

Agency: NINE

Brand Manager: Sebastian Tarkowski (Carlsberg)

Creative Director: Isabelle Dahlborg Lidström (Nine)

Senior Designer: Carl Larsson (Nine)

Designer: Björn Studt (Nine)

Production Manager: Judith Socha (Nine)

Illustrator: Tomas Lindell (Rithuset)

Art Work: James Wright (Wright Design)

Media placement: Cans And Bottles - On And Off Trade - October 2011



Describe the brief from the client

Update the Falcon design, with accompanying sub-brands and line extensions, to deliver best in class shelf impact and brand recognition while driving core brand attributes with the target group, resulting in increased sales value and volume.

Develop a corresponding visual identity platform enabling great looking POS and merchandise, conveying core brand attributes with high impact.



Describe the challenges and key objectives

Falcon is a well-known and established beer brand on the Swedish market, with widespread distribution.

The brand has experienced several re-designs during the last 10 years and the accumulated effect is that the consumers no longer find it their favourite brand. The most recent re-design was made a year before this and sales has decreased by an estimated 30%.

The key objective was therefore to identify the key brand definers for Falcon, and to implement a brand identity that will:

1. Create a top class shelf impact

2. Generate likeability

3. Support brand equity and desired brand attributes.



Describe how you arrived at the final design

We researched the target group thoroughly, identifying what their image of Falcon really was, despite the confusing image communicated during the past several years. Early on we realized that the key attributes that carried the brand’s image were not used in earlier design executions. The focus should be on the Falcon: the shield, blue colour, gold and red.

The key brand equity was analysed, defined and re-defined together with the client.

The final solution was fine-tuned after several consumer tests, where it was very clear that we had found the essence of the brand in the design.



Give some indication of how successful the outcome was in the market



The negative sales have turned around and an increase of 25% has been seen at Systembolaget in Sweden, the only chain of stores allowed to sell stronger alcoholic beverages.