Wren & Rowe gets into the spirit

Wren & Rowe has redesigned Safeway’s entire own-brand range of spirits and fortified wines for a five-figure sum, which went on shelf last week.

The product portfolio includes vodka, gin, whisky, white rum, sherry, port and ginger wine, and brands, such as Canadian Dry Whisky and Amontillado Sherry.

The revamp coincides with the redesign by Safeway’s in-house team of the layout of its store’s drinks department. It has been redesigned to resemble a wine cellar and now incorporates backand under-lit lighting.

To complement the revised layout, Wren & Rowe has introduced lighter, transparent labels to the packaging, says Wren & Rowe managing director Paul Foulkes-Arellano.

Its design work also focuses on the creation of a more coherent visual unity for the range and improving the clarity of the product information, he says.

The aim is to create strong visual solutions within each product sector but introduce a more coherent harmony across the range,’ adds Safeway design executive Jan Watson.

The project was led at Wren & Rowe by creative director Michael Rowe and assistant creative director Luke Sudlow.

The consultancy won the redesign from its place on Safeway’s design roster and did not pitch for the work. It started work in May on the project and was briefed to have it completed in time for Christmas.