Tasked by Stock Spirits to create a new-to-world brand in the Croatian Pelinkovac category, dusting off the nation’s beloved bitters, to disrupt and create fresh relevance. The challenge was to attract a new generation of drinkers, open up the drinking occasion, and drive reappraisal of the category.

Despite its rich history, Pelinkovac was relegated as a tipple for grandparents, rather than being known as a beloved national drink. With the absence of a defined occasion or role, it was associated with the post-dinner digestif consumption moment reserved for formal family get-togethers or a right of passage for party-bound teens. Thirst knew that for a younger, aspirational audience, drinking was all about the occasion, fuelled by a desire to want their drinks to match their mood and sense of style.

Inspired by Croatia’s melting pot of influences, we created the brand platform ‘ignite unexpected connections’. This informed the name, liquid and the VBI, with the ambition to create a world brimming with the bustling, sun-soaked terrace drinking culture of Croatia’s youth. The name Pelinova is a play on the word novi meaning ‘new’ in Croatian and the liquid was given a hint of citrus to appeal to the palette of our target market.

Creatively, Thirst wanted to drive premium associations with a nod to the rich heritage of the category. They offset the crafted botanical details with a contemporary shock of orange paired with bold typography to evoke a contrast between old and new. This led to the creation of a versatile kit of parts to bring to life the positioning across a diverse range of touch points.

The glowing sun is central to the design, radiating the warm glow evocative of golden hour get-togethers.