COCKBURN'S REBRAND

Cockburn’s ports are stocked with retailers including Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose

Leading port brand Cockburn’s has unveiled a major brand overhaul.

Cockburn’s flagship Special Reserve port – along with its White, Tawny and Ruby expressions – had been given “fresh, premium looks” and now came packaged in a lighter bottle, the brand said.

The visual overhaul comprised a “striking contemporary reimagining of the brand’s heritage logo”, said Cockburn’s. The new lighter bottle, meanwhile, would save an estimated 432 tonnes of glass and 256 tonnes of CO2 annually, it added.

Meanwhile, the brand’s premium range, comprising its Quinta dos Canais Vintage Port 2014, Late Bottled Vintage Port 2019, and 10 and 20 Year Old Aged Tawny Ports have also been redesigned.

Labels now feature illustrations by artist Song Kang, depicting Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, and Quinta dos Canais – Cockburn’s principal estate in the Douro Valley – as well as notable historical figures.

These include Cockburn’s taster John Smithes and The Marques do Pombal, who demarcated the Douro wine region in 1756.

The overhaul demonstrated Cockburn’s “confidence in the resilience and potential of the port category”, said brand manager Andrew May.

“What’s remarkable is how port, with its rich heritage, is finding new relevance today,” May said. “Our goal is to honour this by offering something that resonates with our loyal customers, while also intriguing a new generation of port drinkers who are eager to explore the category’s depth and versatility.”

Charlotte Symington, port category manager at Cockburn’s brand owner Symington Family Estates, said the rebrand would “inspire people to see port in an entirely new light”.

“When we acquired Cockburn’s in 2010, we embarked on an ambitious journey to modernise its viticulture and winemaking practices,” she said. “By leveraging our family’s expertise and commitment to quality, we are thrilled to have successfully restored the reputation of this historic port house. Now, we’re extending Cockburn’s history of innovation into how our ports are presented.”

Cockburn’s ports are stocked with retailers including Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.

In the past year, its sales have grown by 4.9% to £21.4m on volumes down 3% [NIQ 52 we 21 April 2024].