In a masterful blend of heritage and modernity, designer Matt Erickson of Cue reimagines Leroux’s storied identity for Phillips Distilling Co., crafting a refined yet vibrant packaging redesign that honors a century of flavor while inviting consumers to explore its renewed visual narrative.

By: Alan Colvin, Creative Director & Managing Partner, Cue

Leroux, Crafted to Celebrate Extraordinary Flavor

A storied brand with over a century of history, Leroux began in Brussels when the Leroux family began making cordials more than four generations ago. Today, Leroux creates a wide variety of liqueurs and flavored brandies, each crafted to celebrate extraordinary flavor. Sipped, shot, or savored, Leroux is the perfect accompaniment to every occasion or adventure, a great way to celebrate all that life offers.

Over time, the brand had become fragmented on shelf, losing its authenticity and credibility. However, there was a strong consensus that new work needed to retain past equity, so the new expression drew on inspiration from the past, borrowing familiar characteristics of typography, color, ornamentation, and iconography. New work reveals an unmistakable connection to the past, using elements that create a framework for consistency across the product portfolio. 

The brand’s identity is strengthened using two labels, one featuring a refined wordmark within a red field of color, the other identifying product and flavor. With refined ornamentation, consistent typography, and a structure designed to accommodate the brand’s extended portfolio, new labeling elevates the brand’s presence, and products are more easily distinguishable on a shelf. Flavors are easily identifiable by illustrations that explicitly represent each within the brand’s large repertoire of home bar options.

Jeżynówka Polish Blackberry Brandy

The brand’s cultural history is rooted in Jeżynówka Polish Blackberry Brandy. The new work features a jolly Polish character, modernized to add to the brand’s relevance while reinforcing the brand’s heritage. “Jez” becomes more than an icon on packaging. He becomes a spokesperson with a defined personality and voice, able to engage consumers. He is an everyman, a consummate host with a knowing wink, and always ready to celebrate.

Challenges 

The project came with inherent challenges: an extensive portfolio, equity of the past that had been inconsistently updated over time, verbiage that varied in length by product, and flavor varieties that needed to be explicitly communicated while maintaining visual continuity across the portfolio. Balancing old equity with modern touches was important in making this heritage brand feel relevant. By building discoverable elements of iconography into labeling and utilizing materiality like foil and varnish treatments, we were able to create products that feel special within a modest budget.

Impact 

We were pleased to be able to create a brand that retains a sense of history and authenticity, offering new brand strength and consistency across such an extensive portfolio of products. The voice of the brand is true to its past but also points forward. And, with Jez and other new ways to activate the brand, Leroux is better able to engage consumers, encouraging them to be curious, experiment, and celebrate life.

Cue has been invigorating and inspiring brands for over 20 years. We believe that an exceptional brand has an essence that guides everything it does, a meaningful idea at the center of what makes it successful. When that essence is revealed in compelling ways, the brand becomes relevant in an ever-changing world. We see design as a problem-solving discipline where uncovering the right questions informs purposeful, creative exploration. When inspired by real business challenges, design is a powerful tool to connect emotionally and communicate effectively.

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