The Class
Creation of a new whisky brand for South Korean hipsters
SERVICES
Brand identity
Brand activation
Print design
Hite Jinro wanted to launch a new whisky brand aimed at younger drinkers in South Korea. It had to be traditional enough to inspire confidence but stand out as something new and confer status upon the customer. The average whisky drinker in Korea is not as tuned into the micro subtleties of the whisky category as western drinkers and see little difference between Scotland and England.
Young Korean drinkers don’t really distinguish Scotland from England and are not particularly interested in complex heritage stories or talk of peat bogs and smokey flavour profiles. They are more interested in demonstrating status.
The Class was created to appeal to consumers who seek out product excellence but also look to demonstrate their good taste in front of others. Products that look and feel expensive are critical in social scenarios. The Class was conceived to demonstrate that good taste with a modern, sculptural bottle, subtle engraving in the cap, and an aggressively modern brand attitude. This is a brand for modern progressive consumers looking to the future rather than the past.
$24m brand
The Class has established it's self as one of the coolest brands in the hostess bars of Seoul. It has spawned a number of brand extensions and driven growth for Hite Jinro across Asia.
