Challenge
Waterford has long been considered the definitive luxury brand in the crystal glass
category. However, changing tastes and competitor intrusion threatened to make
Waterford appear less contemporary and less relevant to today’s luxury consumer,
eclipsing Waterford’s undoubted reputation for supreme quality and artistry.
Insight
Waterford’s preciousness was causing it to be used only for extra special occasions
and confined to the cupboard. Based on the brand idea ‘crafted since 1783 for this
very moment’, Identica sought to dramatize Waterford’s enduring ability to transform
everyday moments into something truly special. Our aim was to remind people about
the pleasure to be found in using Waterford every day.
Solution
What makes Waterford truly luxurious is its cut – creating the elevated visual and tactile experience that makes it such an intense pleasure to use.
To celebrate the cut, we not only redrew their wordmark inspired by the beautiful shapes of glass cutting, but we turned this into an ownable asset for the brand to be used at superscale across all relevant touchpoints.
We created a new colour inspired by the brand’s origins in Waterford Ireland, with a deep, rich, green, contrasting with a bright molten orange highlight which pays homage to the elemental starting point of all crystal pieces – the forge.
We created a new photographic style which allows the product to be shown in authentic settings, surrounded by everyday but unexpected items, such as using a vase to hold pencils, or a crystal cut bowl for Liquorice Allsorts. We developed this new style to create a step change from the more traditional lifestyle images that exist in the category and to demonstrate that this really is a brand for you to interact with every day. We also created a new suite of imagery and films to celebrate the craftsmanship and expertise in creating the products, showcasing the time, care and skill behind every product.
We also re-crafted the brand’s famous seahorse to be a modern shorthand for the brand and a mark of its authenticity and long heritage. We developed the identity system to be monolithic across the ranges to amplify the brand rather, lessening the need for sub-brand properties.
‘Identica really engaged our entire team to understand the challenge we were facing and worked with us to unpick the opportunity. They defined the creative idea at the heart of our brand and brought this to life in a contemporary and visually arresting way, whilst still holding true to the brand’s heritage. The new identity, marketing collateral and packaging has been incredibly well received across the entire business, it’s a real step change for Waterford and we are confident it will force our target consumer to reappraise the brand.’
Davy Thomas VP Crystal Brands Fiskars Group
“The brief contained the challenge that all heritage brands face; how do we retain the essence of Waterford’s rich history, craftmanship and Irish heritage but ensure that these feel relevant, compelling and desirable for a younger audience?
My team was hugely inspired by walking around the workshops, in awe of how the craftsmen were shaping the molten crystal using simple wooden paddles, how the crystal cutters manipulate small and huge crystal pieces over the diamond cutting wheels, creating complex and delicate patterns. The new identity was in part born from these moments in the workshop, with the glowing amber of liquid crystal becoming one of the new brand colours and the intricate crystal cuts inspiring the shape and forms of the new logotype. Working with Waterford was a fantastic opportunity to work with a brand whose artisans transform raw materials into something unique and beautiful.”
Richard Clayton – Creative Director Identica
What we did
Strategy, Packaging, Identity, Guidelines, Photography and Film Art Direction, Production.
