According to JDO, the brief was to retain the premium nature of the brand while moving it to a more contemporary positioning that would appeal to both trade customers and end consumers.
Whitstable Bay is currently sold as premium ale in cask and as organic ale in bottle form.? The new range comprises; pale ale in cask, keg and bottle; a blonde lager in keg and bottle and an organic ale in bottle form. Further beer styles and additional packaging options will follow in the autumn.
JDO came up with a modern sketch of an oyster dredger with a colour palette based on colours found on the UK coast – soft pale blues, sunshine orange and sage green – contrasting with black typography to help distinguish the brand in a bar environment.
The range will sit under the new 'Faversham Steam Brewery' brand, the strapline of the brewery back in the 18th century when a steam engine was installed to revolutionise production and replace horses. A silhouette drawing of the steam brewery sits on the neck label of the new range.
Velda Croot, business development manager at JDO, said: "The Whitstable Bay brand was originally launched 10 years ago and was in need of development.? With the rise in popularity of the town of Whitstable and the increase in consumer demand for stylish, high quality beers, it was the right time to revisit the brand. It is now much more in tune with the modern beer drinker."
Mark Miller, marketing manager at Shepherd Neame added: "Off the back of the success of JDO's Glorious 2012 work on the Spitfire brand, we were keen to work with the team again.? JDO's new designs for Whitstable Bay mean that we can expand the range and drive the brand forward for its next phase of development."
