Diageo’s platform, The Bar, managed 50+ spirits brands across 11 markets with no unifying infrastructure, creating problems operationally (maintaining isolated systems) and strategically (consumers looking for clear expertise and guidance). Our objective was to rebrand the entire portfolio from being brand-led to being occasion-led—becoming a bartender instead of a retailer. We needed to create strong brand consistency for The Bar while still retaining flexibility for individual brands.
We built a global product solution bringing together tech, strategy, and operational management. The core elements of the visual identity are based on the logo’s bar element—the foundation for the whole identity including grid, spacing, layout, typography, image ratios, and motion design.
Rather than create market-specific identities, we built a culturally agnostic system. Our considered design approach allowed us to establish strong brand consistency for The Bar, while retaining the flexibility for individual brands to show up in a way that felt culturally relevant. The result is a balanced system that harmonizes consistency and customisation, demonstrating a scalable brand framework that translated seamlessly into a full digital design system—one capable of scaling across any brand and any market across their wider ecosystem.
Each market could serve their specific business objective while maintaining visual and experiential coherence as part of The Bar portfolio. Cultural sensitivity and global unity aren't contradictory; they're complementary when designed with principle-based thinking.
Engagement metrics:
Business Impact:
Extended session duration and increased views per session create more opportunities for discovery and conversion across the portfolio. Higher engagement rates strengthen brand affinity and customer lifetime value.
