Imperial Leather

When it comes to the bathroom, there isn’t a brand more steeped in heritage than Imperial Leather.

As the washing and bathing category evolved, so did Imperial Leather. But what had become clear was that the brand had shifted too far from what made it iconic in the first place.

Our challenge was to help the brand stand strong in a changing category, rebuilding its distinctive brand assets to re-establish brand recognition and desirability.

Consumer research confirmed the need to revive the crown – the brand’s heritage logo, which had been lost in recent design changes – to boost brand recognition and reaffirm Imperial Leather’s quality and expertise credentials.

Our broader design strategy was based on the idea of duality: balancing the old with the new, the sophisticated with the accessible, and the dualities of lather and fragrance that Imperial Leather products are known and loved for.

Our recrafted wordmark firmly places the crown back on Imperial Leather, which is complemented by a new sensorial graphic language. It feels fresh yet classic, and speaks to the brand’s sense of generosity and the concept of everyday pleasure.

Overhauling the entire visual brand identity system and key brand assets, we then looked at the packaging.

Devising clear design principles and hierarchy for the different ranges, every element on pack has been carefully considered to showcase the luxurious fragrances, rich lather, and individual product experiences.

Each range now has its own distinct personality and design nuance – such as how the flow of foam or lather textures are depicted on the pack structures – but everything now feels like a family under the new Imperial Leather masterbrand.

“Imperial Leather is renowned for its rich lather and signature fragrance. Our brief to the Brandon team was to creatively and visually bring these qualities to life, revitalising the brand in a way that reconnects with what consumers have always loved about it. The result is an enduring, iconic and distinctive design and together we have reset Imperial Leather as a desirable and – importantly – relevant brand for today and the future.”

- Sophie Daniels, Senior Brand and Innovation Manager, PZ Cussons