Tin Horse gets organically Twisted with former client

Tin Horse has teamed up with a former client to brand Twisted, an ‘irreverent’ organic juice brand designed to reject ‘wellington boot’ organic associations.

It was unveiled last week in retail outlets, such as Fresh & Wild and Planet Organic, as well as London bistros, cafés and health clubs. Twisted creator Simon James is also in talks this week with a high street supermarket about distribution from the summer.

The consultancy waived its fee in return for shares in The Big Squeeze, the company set up by former Mobil european marketing manager James, to develop the drinks range.

Twisted is a blend of fruit and vegetable juice designed to provide specific health benefits with the ‘twist’ of vegetable juice as well as a ‘thirst-quenching drink’, says Tin Horse director Martin Bunce.

Following ‘considerable’ experimentation, a range of four juice combinations was decided upon: apple and carrot with a twist of beetroot; carrot; cranberry and apple with a twist of ginger; and pear and apple with a ginger twist.

Freelance illustrator Paul Davis was approached by Tin Horse to create tongue-in-cheek labels designed to emphasise the health benefits of the drink.

They feature humorous cartoon figures displaying internal organs, such as bladders and hearts, to show the health properties of each individual drink. ‘If in the process we can make people smile, then so much the better,’ according to Davis.

‘Our focus has been to create a brand with attitude that cuts through wellie boot associations of organic produce,’ says Bunce.

Designer Adge Gittins led the project for Tin Horse.

The Big Squeeze and Twisted names were generated by the consultancy and James, says James, who left Mobil in November 2001 to concentrate on the project full-time.

James did not approach any other design consultancies.