Chang green bottles
In recent years, South East Asia has risen in popularity for the Western tourism market.
Annually, 900,000 British nationals visit Thailand alone, bringing home with them a love for its culture, an appreciation of the country’s wildlife – and of course, a taste for Thai beer.
Since 1995, Chang beer has been brewed by one of Southeast Asia’s largest drinks production companies, Thai Beverage; it enjoyed a 50% market share in Thailand after only three years of production.
The beer has since become synonymous with sunshine and friendship, these themes being two of its key brand touchpoints.
Such has its popularity risen, that 2016 sees Chang beer celebrate its milestone 21st birthday.
Recognising this feat, the brand has relaunched its signature glass bottle to affirm its relevance and appeal to a modern beverage market while updating a classic design. An event held on 22 April at the Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, London, saw the grand unveiling, as well as playing host to a graffiti artist, magician and array of delicate Thai dishes.
Gone are the brown bottles, in favour of a brighter and more striking visual identity. Emerald green is the colour most prominent, offset by complementary darker green and gold labels – in particular, the golden colour tones have been updated, appealing to the premium end of the beer market.
The glass bottle itself has also been updated, with a taller neck and elevated bottle shoulder marking a distinct departure from its previously less defined and distinct outline.
Although Chang beer aims to combine many distinct elements of Thai culture and heritage into one product, the elephants which characterise the product’s brand image are perhaps the single biggest indicator of Chang’s identity. The name ‘Chang’ translates to ‘elephant’ in English; despite the bottle redesign, its two iconic elephants firmly retain their central place.
The connection between the animals and brand name is also reflected through the white colouring of both these elements. Both contrast against the pine green label in a way which ensures heritage is a theme immediately apparent in Chang’s brand identity – small detail, such as the elephant’s well-defined ears, lend a certain personable edge.
Geoffrey Tirrell, general manager of Chang Beer UK and Europe, says, “It’s great to be celebrating Chang Beer’s 21st anniversary with a refresh of our packaging. We are confident that this new Chang look will inspire and encourage greater consumption of Chang; this change is a key driver in our Vision 2020 to make Chang a strong global brand.”
Indeed, this global vision is already coming true, with Chang’s popularity in Thailand replicated in the UK wholesale market.
Chang beer has enjoyed a 50% growth over the past five years in the UK alone, a trend which looks set to continue as more British nationals visit Thailand, and the beer’s popularity widens. Yet holidays and tourism are not the only links to British culture with which the beer brand has become synonymous.
Everton FC are the long-term recipients of Chang sponsorship, an agreement which has been in place since 2004 and remains the longest running partnership in the Barclay’s Premier League. It is also a relationship cemented through the efforts of Everton FC and Chang following the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.
In the wake of the disaster, the Everton-Chang village was built to replace the devastated village of Ban Naan Khem. Constructed along the Khao Lak coast in Phang Nga province in Thailand, the village consists of 50 houses and a football field.
The Chang Junior Cup, a national competition for junior football teams across Thailand, also sees local youth teams from the Everton-Chang village compete. The tournament’s winning team then has the chance to travel to the UK to train with the Everton Academy at their Finch Farm training facility.
Chang beer’s bottle redesign launched in Thailand in November 2015, and is set for UK launch in May 2016.
