Skipper's Pipés
Keeping It
Quirky
Deliverables: Brand Platform, Visual Identity, Packaging Design, Communication Playbook
A pipe made of sweet liquorice with pink sprinkles on it is not your everyday sweet. Nor your average pipe. Still, Skipper’s Pipes has been around for 100+ years, despite both Google and the EU trying to end the cruise early.
Why is it that a liquorice pipe can amass a loyal fanbase and find shelf space in every Danish supermarket? How can a liquorice pipe become so embedded into Danish culture that people have it tattooed on their bodies? What is it with these liquorice pipes, and why are they so popular? This was one of the many questions we set out to answer as we worked with Cloetta Denmark to define and redesign one of Denmark’s most iconic products in the market.
Navigating the Quirky Compass
Skipper’s Pipes is recognised by consumers. Not necessarily in a way that consumers can easily tell you. So, we had to be careful when going over every single brand asset. We evaluated each piece, threw some stuff overboard, and refined the remaining part.
It was important to make sure that every element could be tied back to the product, both directly or through quirky routes. So, no matter the touchpoint, Skipper’s Pipes can make it its own, promoting the brand and the pipe, like the hand-drawn sprinkles and pencil-coloured ocean. It’s effective, tactile and friendly, and, most importantly, it adds to the quirkiness of Skipper’s Pipes and makes it a loved Danish curiosity for another 100 years.
North-West, South-East, North-South!?
Danes eat Skipper’s Pipes regularly. OK, maybe more than that. So, we already had an initial idea of what Skipper’s Pipes is about. But, as we charted the consumer map, it became apparent that people all have their own reasons: nostalgia, humour, taste, tradition and sheer positive vibes were among the heavy hitters. The stories surrounding this iconic candy were as diverse as those eating it. Something was brewing.
We dove deep and looked for cultural connotations and important milestones in Skippers Pipes’ long history. We quickly learned that the answer to its popularity was never smooth sailing but the quirky nature of the pipe itself. We discovered people relate to the pipes because of the pipes’ free spirit, self-confidence and unusual characteristics. So much so, distinctiveness was essential when defining the brand strategy and designing the brand experience. It turns out that being quirky means staying true to yourself, especially when facing stormy weather. You can always count on Skipper’s Pipes to have your back.
“Iconic assets for an iconic product. Building recognisability and consistency requires the right foundation and tools to get the right message across verbally and visually. EVÉRLAND helped set us on the right course, so now, we can go full steam ahead.”
Victor Guedon, Marketing Director at Cloetta Denmark
