Seagram rebrands Chivas whisky

Seagram is rebranding its scotch whisky brand Chivas Regal 18 to target younger drinkers.

The new design, created by branding consultancy Identica, aims to give the 18-year-old whisky a more sophisticated image prior to a launch in a number of European markets.

Seagram launched Chivas Regal 18 three years ago in the US and it has since been introduced in Japan and Latin America. The brand is now being rolled out in a number of new markets, including Greece, Spain, Austria and Switzerland as well as extending its on-and-off trade availability in the UK.

The new bottle has a more colourful and prominent label with extra emphasis on the number “18”. The packaging has also been updated to give the brand greater shelf presence.

The move follows a revamp of sister brand Chivas Regal 12 in August and is part of an attempt to appeal to younger drinkers.

“Chivas Regal 18’s new design captures the distinctive qualities of Chivas Regal, while informing the consumer of the rare and special status of this super premium whisky,” says Gustavo Clauss, Seagram scotch whiskies marketing manager.

Seagram’s Wall Street adviser Morgan Stanley this week distributed the terms and conditions of the sale to the three bidders for the company’s drinks division – Allied Domecq, an Anglo-French partnership of Diageo and Pernod Ricard and a three-way alliance of Bacardi-Martini, Brown Forman and Sweden’s Vin & Sprit.