Travel in time with Flat Five

The change in duty free arrangements has led many brand owners to rethink their products. They face the dilemma of finding a way to make relatively expensive goods appealing, when the appeal of the discounted price is no more.

The Flat Five Company has a long-standing relationship with The Macallan Distillers, and over lunch last year the issue of duty free was discussed by client David Cox and consultancy director Jonathan Davis.

Following that meeting the London group was commissioned to create packaging for ‘a range of exclusive whiskies which could be sold at advantageous prices without threatening high street prices’, says Davis.

Macallan wanted to take advantage of its archive of products dating back through the century. A range was developed and themed around the golden ages of travel – the Twenties, Thirties, Forties and Fifties.

To convey this, passport-style bottle labels and illustrated cartons were created for the Vintage Travel Range. The idea is that the bottles, sold in half litres, will form a collectible range. ‘All images were developed in a generic style, and the illustration uses details from travel images of the periods,’ says Davis. The main illustration is by Anton Morris at The Artworks.

The label features a strip at the base to identify each decade, using a typographic style in keeping with the period. A ‘character stamp’ has been created by illustrator Karen Morris for each label, and also appears on the cartons. ‘Each character whisky, therefore, has its own set of graphic elements within the overall packaging identity. The subject matter provides a rich seam for promotional items now under development,’ Davis adds.

The Vintage Travel Range was completed in August and goes on sale exclusively through World Duty Free next month.

Designer: The Flat Five Company

Client: The Macallan Distillers