Stage 1:
Groundwork
The Bord Bia Consumer Insights Team partnered with
PJ Rigney to help in the creation of a new distillery brand
in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim.
This case study outlines the journey to build this new
brand and how the consumer was integrated into the
heart of that process.
Stage 2:
Building Brands
Stage 3:
Expression
Stage 4:
Launch
BRANDING WORKBOOK
Drumshanbo Distillery:
“The Shed Distillery” of PJ Rigney
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture
BRANDING WORKBOOK
Drumshanbo Distillery:
“The Shed Distillery” of PJ Rigney
PROJECT BACKGROUND
In recent years Pat Rigney has worked on opening a new distillery
that will be home to a range of spirits including vodkas, gins and Irish
whiskeys developed for export markets. The Consumer Insights Team
helped him create the new distillery brand and establish the brand
architecture for it.
This entailed articulating a compelling and relevant brand strategy
for the distillery that would be differentiated and relevant to a defined
target audience.
A critical part of the process was to ensure that this brand would
allow for the creation of a suite of stand-alone spirit brands, which
could behave independently, yet clearly be identifiable as coming from
the distillery.
BUSINESS CHALLENGE
CONSUMER ISSUE
PJ Rigney had spent the past number of
years running his own alcohol distribution
business. With a history in creating brands,
Pat was keen to build his own stable of
brands once more. The establishment of a
new distillery created this opportunity again.
The consumer challenge was to understand
how a new distillery in County Leitrim can
best capitalise on the growing demand for
Irish whiskey and spirits whilst assuring that
its story is authentic, credible and appealing.
The challenge was to devise a global
distillery brand that could compete on the
world stage, whilst having the stand out
required to be compelling and relevant
in what is a very dynamic category.
We needed to ensure that the distillery
brand engages with the key target
consumer, and understand if PJ Rigney
should be part of the brand and its identity.
Stage 1:
Groundwork
Stage 2:
Building Brands
Stage 3:
Expression
Stage 4:
Launch
THE PROCESS
The Consumer Insights Team’s role was to work alongside Pat
Rigney and take a consumer focused approach to creating his
new distillery brand. We worked with him through the Branding
Workbook from Stage 1: Groundwork to Stage 4: Launching.
HOW DID WE HELP?
The core element in the branding process
was consumer co-creation. This unique
research technique allowed us to work
with consumers in co-creation mode;
sharing the challenge and having them
participate in building the brand idea to
create a unique and compelling brand
for them.
Stage 1: Groundwork:
We explored the workings of the
category – evaluating the global
markets for Irish whiskey, gin and vodka
globally - specifically reviewing the
key competitive sets and examining
consumer behavior in the categories.
We then worked closely with the PJ
Rigney team to start teasing out how
the distillery might be positioned in the
market and who the core consumer
target might be.
Developing a more tangible
understanding of the core target
audience and the competitive market
allowed us to start putting a shape
on what consumers might want from
the distillery. This facilitated us in the
development of unique brand ideas
and stories for the distillery.
Stage 2: Building brands:
To ensure that the consumer was at
the heart of the brand development
process, we conducted a series of
co-creation workshops. This involved
working with consumers in a more
formative and stimulating way than
using traditional focus groups. The
consumers worked alongside us to
explore each of the created brand ideas
and played a more participative role in
challenging which elements of each of
the stories presented were the most
engaging and relevant.
WHAT WERE THE
INSIGHTS?
Throughout the process, the stories
evolved and were adapted as we
gained a clearer insight as to what
held appeal.
development of a brand ‘The Shed
Distillery’.
At the end of the process we had a
coherent and compelling story, and
were able to build the brand model.
The brand model distils down to
what the brand stands for, its DNA;
and identifies what makes the brand
different and how it connects with the
target consumer.
Stage 3: Expression:
The next stage brings the brand to
life – it involves taking all the elements
learned and translating them into a
creative expression.
At this stage a design agency was brought
into the process, True Story. They were
challenged with designing an identity for
the distillery which could host a range of
independent brands.
Stage 4: Launch:
Our work was critical to bringing the
brand to life for the distillery identity,
its brands and the visitor centre design.
The Shed Distillery was launched to the
public on the 21st of December 2014.
The co creation process led to the
At the heart of the brand was the
need to capture “the magic of
experimenting”.
We learnt that PJ Rigney could &
should be a credible part of the story
and central to it – “working hard”
to develop and create his recipes in
The Shed. His many years dedicated
to the drinks industry meant that
this was a strong brand truth.
The co-creation work informed us of
the right cues to dial up for the brand.
Pat locating in Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim
facilitated the creation of a naturally
authentic, masculine and playful brand,
all of which are considered important
attributes to the target audience.
Critically, The Shed also allows for the
creation of a range of spirits each of
which can tell their own unique story
but can sit nicely in The Shed Distillery.
WHAT WAS THE IMPACT
ON THE BUSINESS?
The first cask of handmade whiskey was
distilled at 12:23 on the 21st December
2014 under the winter solstice solar
transit. This was the first distillation in
Connacht for over a century. 2015 will
now see the launch of a number of
new gin, whiskey and vodka brands,
all coming from the Shed Distillery.
Bord Bia’s Branding Workbook
This process was developed using best practice techniques detailed in Bord Bia’s
Branding Workbook.
For more information contact:
E-mail: info@bordbia.ie
Telephone: (01) 6885155
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture