Boru vodka gets new cutting-edge packaging

-- Packaging Digest, 5/1/2007

Castle Brands, Inc., an emerging developer and a global marketer of premium-branded spirits headquartered in New York, has launched new packaging for its lead brand, Boru(R) vodka. The proprietary new bottle, designed by London-based Claessens Intl. (www.claessensinternational.com), is a tribute to the brand's heritage and quality. While the new packaging retains Boru's black and silver palette, the bold, sleek, crystal-clear bottle bears a more contemporary Boru Vodka logo, as well as a striking sword and shield icon.

In addition, the bottle contains deep vertical cuts representing swords and has another black shield debossed in the bottom third of the bottle, which states the brand's attributes.

"One of the lessons from my time running the operations of Absolut Vodka for Vin & Sprit in North America was that, in a very competitive market, having a very high-quality liquid in the premium segment is not enough," says Claes G. Fick, Castle Brand's chief commercial and marketing officer. "We took a hard look at the playing field and realized that our old packaging didn't measure up to the quality of the bottle's contents."

Mark Andrews, chairman and CEO of Castle Brands, says, "By increasing Boru's distillation to five times and redesigning its packaging, we are in effect, launching a new brand." The new packaging was introduced across the U.S. in March and will be followed later in the year by an international rollout.

The new bottles are supplied by Glaswerk Ernstthal Gmbh & Co (www.pohli.de). The caps are supplied by Guala Closures S.p.A. (www.gualaclosures.com) and Viscose Closures, Ltd. (www.viscose.co.uk). Labels are supplied by Label Art, Ltd. (www.labelart.ie) and Lappí Industrias Gráficas S.L. (www.grupolappi.com).

Boru Vodka is also available in Citrus, Orange and Crazzberry flavors in 750-mL, 1-L and 1.75-L sizes. The standard retail price in the U.S. is $18 to $20 for the 750-mL size.