In the 1990s, Bacardi Breezer reigned supreme as one of the original Ready-to-Drinks (RTDs). Playfully premixed and bursting with fruit flavour, it became an iconic drink of the times, launching worldwide with immediate success. With the modern RTD renaissance in full effect, the brand, now simply called Breezer, was ready to revolutionise the market once again with a reimagining that celebrates its heritage.

Independent spirits brand design agency Knockout was tasked with creating a renewed global identity that united Breezer worldwide to recruit the next generation of drinkers. The full scope of the project included packaging, POS, in-store activation and OOH advertising.

“Breezer had been enjoying great popularity in markets like India, Scandinavia, South Africa and Canada,” comments Dominic Burke, Founder and Creative Director at Knockout. “The brand saw an opportunity to showcase a visual confidence that more powerfully established it as a stand-alone player in the category that it had helped to pioneer. This rebrand amplifies that legacy, giving Breezer the iconic assets to demonstrate its authority in the RTD category.”

Knockout began by introducing a new crown icon to represent the brand’s long-standing heritage. Created with a splash, the crown carries a second interpretation of playful refreshment to appeal to a modern audience of spontaneous, fun-loving consumers. The bold new wordmark has been updated with a type that is more balanced and contemporary, with rays of sunshine emanating from behind it to evoke a horizon and bring the daytime drink occasion to life.

Beneath the horizon line and on the neck label are colourful abstract patterns that convey the different flavours of the range. Influenced by urban street art, these innovative patterns combine dotted screen-printing and varnish texturing to add visual vibrancy and tactility that feels like fruit skin. The new design also introduces a descriptor to each variant to heighten flavour appeal.

“The RTD category has evolved considerably since Breezer first debuted, with increased quality of both product and branding,” comments Burke. “The updated identity gives Breezer a premium touch to meet these new expectations whilst elevating that playful edge that the brand has always possessed.”