Old timers are the best

It turns out Huddersfield-based Ben Shaws, established in 1871, was a pioneer of its time, being the first in Europe to package soft drinks in cans in 1959.  Design agency The Individual Agency drew on this heritage when it overhauled the brand’s packaging, included pics of the old factory in the new design.

This put me in mind of other brands that draw on their heritage – Tunnock’s tea cakes being a prime example. The Scottish brand, synonymous with its red and gold packaging, was established in 1890 and retains an almost retro-style of packaging. It is hard to imagine anyone tampering with its design.

Just look to the Sherbet Fountain debacle to see what can happen when a heritage brand is tampered with. Tangerine Confectionery received widespread condemnation when it decided to ditch its iconic paper packaging in favour of a resealable plastic tube. What the marketers didn’t realise was that having the paper pack disintegrate as you ate the sherbet was part of its charm – adding an extra element of urgency to your scoffing of the pack’s contents.

All of which goes to show that marketers should be careful not to underestimate people power. Cadbury’s was held to ransom by a Facebook group of chocolate lovers to bring back the Wispa a couple of years ago. That same year Cadbury reported a 6% increase in sales boosted by strong growth of its Dairy Milk brand and the successful re-launch of Wispa.

Maybe it’s the memories of growing up with the brand, maybe it’s the confidence an established brand gives a consumer or maybe it’s something else altogether. Whatever it is, it’ clear that once you hit on that x-factor, you shouldn’t tinker with it too much.

So fingers crossed no one starts messing with my personal favourite Yorkshire Tea.

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