Stoli unveils contemporary new bottle

For the first time since the brand’s inception in 1938, Stolichnaya vodka has been given new primary packaging.

This new form from Stoli, which was unveiled at TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes, highlights contemporary and premium cues while remaining true to the brand’s heritage.

Stoli will roll out the new design across the portfolio, which includes Stolichnaya Flavored Premium vodka, Stolichnaya 100 Proof and Stolichnaya Gold. The new design is an evolution of the original but with significant upgraded features including:

• A slightly taller and more elegant bottle shape with anti-slip embossing on the neck to improve pouring control for bartenders
• A ‘state-of-the-art’ capsule with anti-counterfeit and anti-refill technology, which will be available in selected markets
• A revised front and back label, highlighting Stolichnaya’s use of Certified Alpha Grade spirit
• A textured label, refined medal images and a bold upgrading of the main Stolichnaya logo.

The packaging was designed by the London-based agency Claessens International.  "We have been very pleased with their partnership in this project. With the help from Claessens and with a huge effort by our operations team, we managed to execute this project from idea to the first production in less than a year. This is an outstanding achievement and a real team effort," Lars Vestbirk, marketing director for Stolichnaya told The Drinks Report.

“The Stolichnaya bottle has been iconic for several generations and now it’s the time for Stoli – as it is affectionately known - to make a new bold statement in claiming its position as THE Vodka,” stated Rob Cullins, CEO Stoli Group.

Lars Vestbirk points out: “THE Vodka is a title celebrated by Stoli as a brand that has pioneered the vodka category since its inception. Stolichnaya was the original premium imported vodka in the US, the first vodka brand in space, and the first brand to launch flavoured vodkas in the 1960s. 

“Stoli has a long and proud history of vodka distilling. It has always been about the liquid: maintaining the original bold character and perfecting the unsurpassed Alpha quality. Our vision with the new Stoli packaging is to reflect what’s inside the bottle and the brands substance and heritage. We deliberately seek to contrast today’s superficial vodka category. I will be proud to see this in the hands of bartenders around the world.”

The new bottle will be on shelves and available during end of 2015 and early 2016.

26 October 2015 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor