Refreshed cans and bottles of Old Jamaica ginger beer have hit shelves across the UK.
The rebrand – which follows a marketing campaign in which owner Beliv Company pretended to “retire” the brand last year – would help Old Jamaica appeal to “the next generation of ginger beer drinkers” predicted global director Alfonso Haces.
“Old Jamaica has real heritage and there’s a good deal of affection for the brand,” said Hace. “But even icons need a refresh. It felt like the brand had been wearing the same outfit to the party since the ’80s.”
The refresh – which features a simplified design and new palm tree icon – “wasn’t about tearing anything down but about aligning how we look with who we are today”, said Haces.
“It looks better on the shelf, better online, and it’s future-ready for wherever we want the brand to go next,” he added.
Old Jamaica rebrand splits opinion
The new look has divided opinion online, however.
Posting a photo of the old and new Old Jamaica designs side-by-side, one Reddit user said: “The original has a lot of character and also a self-awareness that has been lost in the rebrand. The colour palette of the original blends well with the product itself, whereas the new direction seems to be at odds with it.”
Old Jamaica (UK) rebrand
byu/creativegigolo ingraphic_design
Other users chimed in with criticism of their own. “Poorly executed for a heritage brand,” said one. “The palm tree looks like a free icon. Layers look slapped-on and the overall brand has lost its character.”
A third added: “This rebrand is going to decimate them, mark my words.”
Others took a more nuanced view, however.
“They’re modernising it, looking to expand the audience to younger folks,” said one. “I prefer the old one for heritage and character, but if they’re struggling with market share this might be the way to keep the product alive.”
Another added: “[The] new one is much more modern, young, vibrant, etc. To me this is a huge upgrade.”
Old Jamaica ‘needed a shake-up’
Old Jamaica’s old design “had a lot of fans” but “needed a shake-up”, insisted Samy Alliance campaign lead Hernán Cerdeiro.
“You’ve got this punchy, fizzy, fiery drink bursting with personality, and it’s hiding inside a can that looks like it has been gathering dust at the back of the shelf,” he said. “It was a brand with all the flavour in the world and none of the visual swagger to back it up.
“We made a can that people talk about. That people remember. And if a few font experts are sharpening their pitchforks, so be it.”
Old Jamaica was first launched in the UK in 1988 and remains widely stocked across grocery multiples and convenience outlets.
Last year the brand saw sales slide by £290k on volumes down 6.9% [NIQ 52 w/e 7 September 2024].
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