Heritage brands are steeped in tradition with rich layers of craftsmanship, quality, and trust built over time. Yet, to thrive in the future, they must connect with younger audiences and stand out in an ever-evolving world. Branding specialists, Epic Lion, find that updating a heritage brand’s visual language requires a delicate balance. Familiar elements must be preserved to maintain brand equity, while updates must reflect current tastes, digital formats, and cultural shifts. Too much change risks alienating loyal consumers; too little can leave the brand feeling dated or out of touch.
The balance between preservation and evolution is at the heart of refreshing a heritage brand.
For an icon brand like Nederburg, the goal is refinement not reinvention. With a 230-year legacy, the challenge lies in evolving the brand’s highly valuable equity and primary assets to resonate with a new generation of wine lovers. Enhancing what works, whilst staying true to the soul of the brand.
At the heart of the refresh is the logo, made up of an angled wordmark and boldly reworked crest. The wordmark is redrawn by hand, preserving recognisable letterforms while introducing a custom typeface that feels elegant, energetic, suited to digital use and unique to Nederburg. It is bolder, more flexible, and confidently fills space in striking new ways. The historic crest is simplified for clarity and impact. Key shapes are retained for familiarity, the date-mark is amplified to highlight legacy, and detailing is cleaned up to boost ownability and distinctiveness. The redesigned crest now stands strong even without the wordmark, functioning as a distinctive and dynamic lifestyle asset for the brand.
Owning the signature colour red is one of the most punchy aspects of the new branding, becoming a core visual signifier in all environments. Flanked by touches of white, gold and black; the premium colour palette brings sophistication, vibrancy and unity to the identity without overwhelming it. Imagery plays a key role in connecting with younger audiences and Nederburg’s new visual approach depicts real, unscripted moments where natural light and tones reinforce the brand’s authenticity.
Balance is key: tradition with freshness, sophistication with approachability.
With the foundational system in place, Epic Lion worked closely with their strategic partner, Just Design, to evolve the packaging: reducing clutter, improving hierarchy, and integrating the refreshed assets. The result is simplified labels where every element works towards brand distinctiveness. Beyond this, the Nederburg brand team is using the updated look-and-feel in their campaigns and communications. The new brand identity stretches confidently across all touchpoints - from bottles to digital to the Nederburg Brand Home - creating a unified, curated presence that strengthens brand recognition, ignites curiosity and excitement, and future-proofs the brand.
As brands navigate generational shifts and an increasingly digital world, heritage brands must find ways to remain relevant without losing their roots. Epic Lion’s work with Nederburg shows how thoughtful design can bridge legacy and modernity to preserve the emotional resonance of a storied past while creating space for new audiences to connect. It’s this ability to evolve with authenticity that ensures heritage brands not only endure but are timeless and relevant, now and into the future.
moc.ycneganoilcipe@bhj
www.epiclionagency.com
@epiclionagency
