Aureus Vita
Ultra Luxury Gin Launch Strategy
– ALL PACKAGING DESIGN BY Stranger & Stranger –
– ALL BRAND DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY BY Dell ‘Anno Studio –
Trevethan Distillery approached Ark Drinks with a big question: “How do you launch a truly radical product innovation into the oversaturated gin category?”
They wanted to bring their new ultra-luxury £175 gin, Aureus Vita, to the London Drinks Trade. Master Distiller, John Hall, had been inspired by the Golden Ratio (1.618) and the perfect harmony it brings to the natural world. He had applied it to all stages of gin creation to build a unique still design with an entirely new ‘Fibonacci Dry Gin’ method. The resultant gin is no gimmick – it delivers mathematical taste perfection, with a long complexity of flavour unlike any other.
Other than the gin itself, there was no brand, no bottle, no strategy, no messaging, no drinks. But having tasted the liquid, we knew that this was something very special indeed. We embarked on a full Discovery Phase, interviewing the distillery team and auditing Ultra-luxury spirits trends.
We created a Strategy Fundamentals that defined the brand and product, with key objectives, targeting, and positioning, distilling Aureus Vita’s ”Why, What & How” into one simple working document. We also created consumer & trade messaging hierarchies, ready to test when it hit the market.
Our next step was to inspire London bartenders. The gin was already in perfect harmony via the Golden Ratio, so bartenders needed to maintain this mathematical perfection. Rather than a standard “Drinks Strategy”, we built the mathematical principles for bartenders to follow, bend, or build on.
Working with our expert bartending partners, we created a guide on how to incorporate the Golden Ratio into cocktail ingredients, methods, bar tools, glassware, and garnishing. We also illustrated the principles in action with a set of Classic cocktail recipes.
We then provided a wide range of consultancy for Aureus Vita’s launch. We advised on all-star agency selection. We wrote the packaging design brief for globally-renowned designers, Stranger & Stranger. we recruited a top tier ‘Head of Advocacy’ from our network. We contributed to the internal marketing plan. We wrote the launch brief for top London PR agency, The Romans.
Aureus Vita launched with key residencies at Scarfes Bar (No. 37 in World’s Best Bars) & Selfridges. The Scarfes team created truly stunning Martini & G&T serves from our Fibonacci Mixology Principles. This proved to be a big success, and a top-performing activation for Scarfes.
