Founded in 1780, Jameson is the world’s best-selling Irish whiskey. With a legacy that runs deep, its green bottle, logomark and crest have become iconic over time.
Still, longevity brings its own pressure to stay relevant. Jameson’s new identity, created by JDO, looks to strengthen what people already know and love, while subtly modernising how it’s presented.
“It’s important for us to stay current and future-proof the brand,” says global marketing manager Claire Henry.
She says they spoke with whiskey drinkers, bartenders and retailers, “from dimly lit bars in New York to busy off-licences in Johannesburg,” and that highlighted “clear opportunities to make Jameson stand out more distinctly.”
In 2018, Jameson led a redesign centred on its flagship whiskey, the Original. This time, the scope was broader. JDO was tasked with creating visual harmony across the full portfolio, while subtly updating the Original.
JDO’s brand and packaging redesign for Jameson
The aim was twofold – to invite new drinkers in, and to give long-time fans clearer paths to explore and trade up within the Jameson family.
“We also realised the packs could do a better job of telling each whiskey’s story,” says Henry. “And we wanted to make it easier for people to see the differences between the products and understand how the range fits together.”
The team at JDO had to tread a fine line. On one hand, there was the heritage of the legacy brand, which called for careful, considered design decisions. On the other hand, there was the irreverent spirit of “the serious whiskey that does not take itself too seriously.” The two had to meet halfway.
Certain elements, such as the arched logo, the recognisable crest, and the seal (or the lollipop), were iconic in their own right, so “ensuring that they remained magnetic was really key to the brief we gave JDO,” says Henry.
The creative challenge was to take what already worked and sharpen it to reveal more of its character.
The updated wordmark
The crest was re-sculpted to stand taller on the pack, while the wordmark was given a taller cap height to lend it more presence. The team refined the serifs, tightened the drop shadows, and added a “nick” to the crossbar of the ‘A.’
Every detail was a question of restraint, knowing what to keep and how far to push change. “There’s so much equity in that logo around the world that throwing the baby out with the bathwater would’ve been a bit of a crime,” says JDO’s creative director Ben Ridley.
The tweaks to the typography, coupled with the introduction of a brighter colour palette, bring a touch of playfulness to the brand’s visual voice, as does the art direction.
“Introducing the bottle illustration gives us flexibility; we don’t need a flawless, high-gloss render every time,” says Ridley. “It can feel looser, more characterful.”
JDO introduced a bottle illustration, now used across the brand
While buffing the overarching identity, the team also built a shared system of visual codes that unites Jameson’s family of whiskeys, yet leaves room for each expression to show its own character.
“The idea is to bring people further into the Jameson world,” says Ridley. “You start with the Original, then ask – what feels a little more refined? What finishes feel more elevated? What’s more giftable, more desirable? Through a mix of design cues, we can speak to seasoned whiskey drinkers while still welcoming those just beginning their journey.”
The agency introduced refinements across every tier of the range – from the Original to the Reserve and Collectible series.
The ‘Proud Bottle,’ used for the Original, got an update. The shoulder of the bottle was elevated, and the neck shortened, which allowed the logo to be placed higher up on the pack, demanding more attention on the shelf.
The Reserve Series, with the expanded slip labels
The Reserve Series gained more storytelling through an expanded slip label that creates space for details about cask selection, ageing, and craft, turning each bottle into its own narrative. The use of two typefaces, Trade Gothic LT Pro and Sackers Gothic, gives the range both cohesion and distinction.
“When you’re designing a whiskey portfolio, you still want every bottle to feel part of the same family, but with a bit of its own personality,” says Ridley. “Each liquid has its own story – its own craft and character – and the design had to reflect that.”
The new identity, now being rolled out across every touchpoint, has, in Henry’s words, given the “brand a renewed sense of purpose.”
Across the portfolio, the team added premium print finishes
“Redesigning a brand like Jameson means walking a fine line,” says Ridley. “It’s not about starting over; it’s about understanding what already connects with people and drawing more of that character out, rather than sanding it down.”
Every change, as Ridley points out, no matter how minor, compounds quickly – small moves across the range can transform how the brand feels as a whole.
“It’s the quiet shifts that make the biggest impact,” he adds. “Carried through the full range, those refinements ripple outwards and build into something much bigger.”
The Jameson Original, with the updated ‘Proud Bottle’