Founding partners in a flavourful, soaraway Australian successs story
What better testament to our expertise than becoming our own client? When a run-down brewery and cordials business went up for sale in the Aussie town of Beechworth, Victoria in 2019, our founder, Mark Cowan, saw the potential behind the abandoned façade and bought the brewery.
From day one we’ve helped to shape the business, building a brand narrative that involved bringing back the iconic name of Billson’s and developing a distinctive brand identity. We’ve been keeping Billson’s consumers entertained ever since with designs for countless convention-breaking flavour innovations and brand activations, enabled by a simple, coherent, flexible brand expression system that captures Billson’s eclecticism, quirkiness, and energy.
Creating a brand that delivers.
Embracing regeneration, we looked back to look forward and dove into the brand’s archives. Our styling draws inspiration from the brand’s vintage labels and gave an authentic touchstone for our rebrand (as well as a powerful brand bullseye). This became the anchor from which new ranges could flow.
By preserving the timeless essence of the original brand, we were able to successfully build a proposition for the cordials business that was distinctive in the market, helping Billson’s to command a 21% higher price and an 89% premium over the market leader. With a growth rate of over 107% in the first year, Billson’s expanded into two new cordial-based ranges. Sales soared from $160k to $7.6M in three years – and our work was recognised with a Gold and the coveted Grand Prix win at the 2022 DBA Design Effectiveness Awards.
Billson’s success with Cordials paved the way for multiple new product ranges. Since launching the brand has experienced an astonishing 280% year-over-year growth over the last five years. We’ve elevated the brand’s position to foster innovation and growth across emergent categories. Whether you’re indulging in a pre-mixed cocktail or spirit, Billson’s remains a seriously refreshing swan dive into-extra depth and flavour, promising a refreshingly distinct experience at every sip.
What we did:
Brand Creation | Naming | Brand Identity | Packaging Design
