Transforming a global heritage assignment into a fresh, legend-led premium packaging concept
Translating global heritage concepts into local markets often requires moving beyond simple adaptation to create authentic emotional resonance.
When Unilever set out to launch Sir Thomas Lipton—a premium tea collection named after the legendary British entrepreneur who founded the global tea empire—the initial objective was straightforward. Mildberry was originally brought on to adapt the existing global packaging design for the local market.
However, standard global adaptation frameworks fell short of capturing the rich, storytelling-driven potential of the founder's legacy. To establish a compelling premium presence on store shelves, the brand needed a concept that didn't just carry a name, but actively brought the 130-year-old heritage and spirit of Sir Thomas Lipton to life for modern tea drinkers.
Building a comprehensive, story-driven packaging system from the ground up while honoring core brand identity.
Mildberry pivoted from standard adaptation to developing a completely new design direction, updating key visual elements, copywriting, and line architecture.
We restructured the narrative to center around Sir Thomas Lipton’s original 1890 voyage to Ceylon. By renaming the flavor profiles and crafting rich, legendary storytelling copy, we transformed the packaging into an authentic tribute to the founder's global tea quest.
While retaining the sophisticated black color scheme from the original global visual language, we updated the brand’s logo, typography, and key visual assets. The revised rendering balances classic English refinement with modern aesthetic standards.
A distinctive packaging system that turned a standard localization assignment into a powerful, story-driven product line.
Mildberry successfully transformed the launch of Sir Thomas Lipton into a modern tribute to tea tradition. By building a fresh visual and narrative concept, the brand established a strong, premium presence that honors its 1890 roots while appealing to contemporary consumers.
The new design system gave Unilever a highly differentiated, legend-led product line that stands out in the competitive premium tea segment.