The journey began with a visit to the Islay distillery, immersing in Laphroaig’s rich history and provenance. One of the striking features was the line of green wellington boots neatly arranged in the visitor center’s boot room. Reserved for the ‘Friends of Laphroaig’ – a community of Laphroaig enthusiasts who can claim a piece of Islay land upon joining – these boots are lent to them when they go out to find their plot. The iconic green wellies, signaling Laphroaig’s deep connection with their land, was the inspiration behind a new packaging concept.
The challenge was to transform a pair of green wellington boots into an ownable and giftable piece of packaging for Laphroaig. The most iconic features of the wellie – its flexible rubbery form, fold over top, adjustable buckle, and sturdy tread – were distilled down. The design was then owned by incorporating Laphroaig’s trademark green, logo lockup, and a new iconic ‘L’ pattern created for the tread of the boot.
The boot pack, with its sturdy construction and side strap for easy carrying, was designed for reuse. It can serve as an outdoor container to carry camping gear, art supplies, a water bottle, or perhaps another bottle of Laphroaig – ensuring that you can always carry a piece of Islay with you, wherever you go.
The Laphroaig Wellie Boot packaging concept was developed by creative agency Butterfly Cannon and is available in key markets and through www.laphroaig.com.
