Lyle’s Golden Syrup Rebrand
The Breakdown
Tate & Lyle recently launched a rebrand of their famous and historic Golden Syrup brand through a new look and colour system that harks back to the original but attempts to bring the look into the modern day. Supermarket shelves are a competitive place and perhaps Tate & Lyle thought their 150 year old packaging design was losing out on more modern rivals.
Old and new… respecting the past, moving forward
The original design depicts a dead lion being swarmed by bees in representation of the story of Samson from the Old Testament when Samson managed to kill a lion that was attacking him and then noticed the bees creating a comb of honey in the dead body.
The old, and original, packaging depicts a dead lion and a swarm of bees
The green and gold colourway of the original, alongside ornate Victorian era damask illustration matched perfectly with the tin. It looked expensive, trustworthy and traditional. Visually, everyone knows that it is a tin of Lyle’s Golden Syrup at a glance. The gold arch is representative of the semi-liquid gold contained within.
However, in the modern market, it looks old-fashioned and perhaps the marketers thought that now was the time to appeal to a new, younger market.
Brand director James Whiteley said the firm had to show consumers and potential customers that it was moving with the times.
"Our fresh, contemporary design brings Lyle's into the modern day, appealing to the everyday British household while still feeling nostalgic and authentically Lyle's," he said.
Associate professor of marketing at London Business School, Helen Edwards, said the rebrand should reduce the risk of excluding potential shoppers, but not only because of the design style.
"The story of it coming from religious belief could put the brand in an exclusionary space, especially if it was to go viral on X or TikTok," she told the BBC.
"But hanging on to some of the original branding is a good idea as people tend to remember brands through visual codes - the green colour, the lion - which remind people 'that's the product I buy, that's the one I like.”
The new design is modern and fresh - friendly and adaptive
The New Design - What I like…
The first thing, as it’s the most abstract from the original, is the lion. Gone is the dead carcass of a lion that’s seen better days, replaced with a much more modern, flat, negative space logo that retains certain elements for a much more cheerful take on the concept.
The background damask pattern has been knocked back which allows the more important elements to jump. There’s now a more relevant hierarchy to the design.
The typographic arch remains, though it’s simplified. Bringing the dashed rule inside the arch makes for a more solid shape with more foundation. The font style mostly remains untouched, but has been neatened up and simplified in certain areas.
The simpleness of the new design is sure to stand out and have shelf appeal. It’s modern, recognisable and retains enough of the old design to carry on the trend.
I like the solo bee that is hovering above the lion’s head. It’s a simple nod to the past and fits in nicely with the lion.
Slightly amiss…
The style of the lion is slightly Thai Airlines.
The style of the lion is slightly at odds with the hard edged arch.
Looks less aspirational (ie. cheaper) - perhaps that was the brief?
Conclusion
Overall it’s a hit for me. It’s modern, will have more shelf appeal in the modern world and there are enough elements to carry on the traditional values of the brand. Losing the original story and it’s religious connotations may offend some, but will appeal to a more broad consumer group. Kids (especially the ones who go shopping with their parents) will love the look of the lion when they’re in the jam isle and there will be appeal.
