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Discover our work with Baileys, combining elegance and indulgence to reimagine the world’s favorite cream liqueur. Learn how we helped Baileys captivate new audiences with stylish, contemporary branding. BRAND REDESIGN, STRUCTURE, PORTFOLIO EXPRESSIONS The challenge –– to create a brand world and global design for the world’s no.1 liqueur brand in its quest for femininity and desire. This much-loved product had to be distanced from its low energy ‘after dinner’ seasonal role to an ‘any time, anywhere’ up-tempo brand. The restaged Baileys logo has refined lettering, a more elegant arch and deeper colour. A new landscape has been painted in a layered vibrant palette. Quality perception is raised dramatically. The bottle shape emerges taller, slimmer and more elegant and fits in the fridge. The ‘double B,’ a sleeping equity originally modelled in the glass, has become a gleaming dimensional brand icon, underscoring Baileys’ Celtic provenance and resonating as a luxury brand mark. Sold at a substantial premium, the limited-edition Stephen Webster bottle translates his glittering, jewelled armband onto the bottle, raising premium perception of the brand, stimulating PR and creating a social media buzz in Russia. “Congratulations Mary to you in particular. It was your drive and confidence that got us to such a great place! Thoroughly deserved and a testament to great design.” Garbhan O’Bric Global Brand Director, Baileys, Diageo Our sensual, playful Rococo illustrative style takes the Baileys brand to a new level for the launch of a premium Belgian chocolate variant. French descriptor, Chocolat Luxe, adds sophistication and evokes a luxurious experience. The ‘double B’ icon takes pride of place on the shoulder of the elegant black bottle linking Baileys Original Irish Cream to its new premium sister. MORE WORK WAITROSE COOKS' LAMBAY IRISH WHISKEY MORE WORK TEST TITLE Video Title

Uncover our brand design for Lefranc Bourgeois, celebrating artistry and history in a vibrant identity that resonates with creatives. BRAND REDESIGN, PORTFOLIO DESIGN A new identity for Lefranc Bourgeois, the premier brand for fine artists, balancing history and contemporary relevance. LEARN MORE LEFRANC BOURGEOIS CHALLENGE Lefranc & Bourgeois, founded in Paris 1720, is the leading French brand of quality paints and tools for fine artists. Over time, and with the acquisition of other brands, Lefranc & Bourgeois had lost visual cohesion, across two confusing tiers. The challenge was to rekindle residual affection for this once-loved, iconic brand by creating a new identity and packaging design. SOLUTION The new Lefranc Bourgeois logotype confidently sets out the founders’ names, now edited to remove the ampersand (typically dropped when spoken). Pride in provenance is underscored by the addition of ‘PARIS’. Each tier now has its own ‘neutral’ palette to showcase the world of colour, and a simple information system. “We’re delighted with how designs are rolling out across the oil range and are looking forward to our imminent launch in June. We received superb feedback from our customers following our largest trade fair in Frankfurt.”Marianna Spiliotopoulos, Global Brand Director “This is a great solution and cost-effective — exactly what we are after.”Lawrence Hutchinson, Consultant “We’re delighted with how designs are rolling out across the oil range and are looking forward to our imminent launch in June. We received superb feedback from our customers following our largest trade fair in Frankfurt.” MARIANNA SPILIOTOPOULOS, GLOBAL BRAND DIRECTOR, LEFRANC BOURGEOIS To help celebrate 300 years of Lefranc Bourgeois, we delved into their archive. Reframing and layering vintage assets with vibrant colour across four gift box designs, the specific quality of each medium was showcased. Opaque gouache, translucent oil, vibrant acrylic and intense ink. Creativity starts from a young age, to encourage it a brand must both charm and inspire. Enter Le Petit Artiste, bringing bags of personality to this range of children’s creative products. MORE WORK LAVAZZA WINSOR & NEWTON MORE WORK TEST TITLE Video Title

Explore our design for Skin Sapiens, a skincare brand rooted in simplicity and transparency, crafted for conscious consumers. BRAND CREATION, PORTFOLIO DESIGN Simple is, simple does. A minimalist design featuring a pale, mineral inspired colour palette allows the packaging to be recycled and conveys the products’ pure ingredients. The ‘I’ sits asymmetrically acting as a built-in navigator. “Thank you so much again for your ideas and design work. I love our calls, they’re like peering into the future. Very exciting!” JAMES JARDELLA CEO & FOUNDER, SKIN SAPIENS MORE WORK GLENFIDDICH LYQD NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM LEA & SANDEMAN MORE WORK TEST TITLE Video Title

Cannes Lions 2025 Bold beats Bureaucratic in an Era of Change Jovan Buac, Managing Partner Each June, the creative industry descends on La Croisette for its annual sun-drenched summit. And while Cannes Lions still delivers the familiar fanfare - celebrity cameos, mega-budget activations and more than a few big-name panels - something deeper stirred this year. Change was in the air. And not the performative kind. Real, structural, mindset-shifting change. Even regulars were saying it: Cannes feels different. And it’s going to be different next year, and the year after… That question came in a post-panel Q&A session too, where an audience member put it simply: Why are we still banging on about TV ads? Brands today live in formats that didn’t exist five minutes ago, let alone five years ago. The brand world is plural, dynamic, and increasingly platform-native. Some of the best talks I heard were from the likes of Tik Tok and the CMO of Snap, Grace Kao. But amid all this disruption, one voice cut through with rare clarity… Whose Festival Is It Anyway? There’s no denying the big tech players dominated the beaches; Meta, TikTok, Microsoft, Google, Adobe - all setting out their stalls, not just showcasing what they do today, but teasing who they believe will help own creativity in the future. And that future, it seems, is no longer purely in the hands of agencies. How agencies, brands and tech collaborate is now more important than ever. Will Cannes still be about ad agencies in five years’ time? Or will it become a content creator’s festival - where content, community and cultural relevance matter more than media spend? That was the view of a fair few people I spoke to. That question came in a post-panel Q&A session too, where an audience member put it simply: Why are we still banging on about TV ads? Brands today live in formats that didn’t exist five minutes ago, let alone five years ago. The brand world is plural, dynamic, and increasingly platform-native. Some of the best talks I heard were from the likes of Tik Tok and the CMO of Snap, Grace Kao. But amid all this disruption, one voice cut through with rare clarity… Top: 20 minutes. 10 ideas for the type of creative company the world might actually want to exist right now. Precipice: Nils Leonard. Above: A sneak peak at this year’s entrants. Bold Beats Bureaucratic Sir John Hegarty delivered the kind of insight that reminds you why you got into this industry in the first place. He tackled a hot client and agency topic; big versus small. His message was elegant, sharp and urgent: “Why giants can't dance. It's not the big that beat the small. Or the small that beat the big. It's the bold that beat the bureaucratic.” It’s hard to argue. In an age of AI, automation and hyper-efficiency, it’s not size or process that wins; it’s culture. Bravery. Belief. Hegarty had the ability to really make us stop and think. Companies don’t fail because they’re small. Or because they’re too big. They fail because they stop moving. They replace bravery with bureaucracy. Vision with process. Creativity with compliance. And yes, by nature, it’s often the bigger networks that fall victim to this. Because, he said, at the moment; the giants can't dance. Creativity is not a luxury. It’s the only competitive advantage that scales, if you let it. I’ve always believed this. And as agencies, this is where leadership comes in. It’s not about managing output. It’s about rediscovering your founding philosophy. Building a culture that rewards originality. Making space for messiness, experimentation, risk. Because today, creativity is no longer just part of the game. In the world of AI, it is the game. This was backed up by the likes of Mark Ritson , who put it simply. Emotion wins. Dull is dreary. And he’s got the numbers to prove it! Storytelling - The Work That Won That theme, of creativity with genuine consequence, ran through many of this year’s Grand Prix winners. These weren’t just ads. They were acts. Ideas that changed policy, shifted systems or created new forms of cultural expression. Dove’s “Real Beauty Redefined for the AI Era” challenged algorithmic aesthetics with a personalised Pinterest experience, tackling the next battleground in body image. FCB Chicago’s “Caption with Intention” reinvented closed captioning, turning functional subtitles into emotional, design-driven storytelling. This wasn’t just craft, it was system change. AXA’s “Three Words” simply added “and domestic violence” to its insurance policies, radically improving safety and support for victims. Quiet, bold and brilliant. Vaseline’s “Vaseline Verified” showed how a century-old brand could take back narrative control in the age of TikTok by applying science to social media myths. And the LVMH campaign, “The Partnership That Changed Everything”, redefined luxury sponsorship at the Paris 2024 Olympics, not as logo placement, but as co-creation. Dior dressed performers in haute couture. Berluti tailored athletes’ suits. Chaumet designed medals with Eiffel Tower fragments. Louis Vuitton delivered them in a signature trunk. It was French artistry, used not just to brand the Games, but to elevate them. The work was smart. Brave. Systemic. Purposeful. It didn’t shout; it resonated. And it made one thing clear: Creativity at its best doesn’t just tell a story. It rewrites the rules. My Cannes Client Crush At these events, you always meet a client or a brand who stands out. At Cannes, my client crush was CMO of e.l.f. Beauty, Kory Marchisotto. Not only do I love the brand and everything they’ve been up to, I love Kory’s personal ethos and leadership style. I was lucky enough to see Kory live on the Uncensored CMO panel last week. She leads with bold vision, empathy and a deep commitment to community. Under her leadership, the brand has become a digital-first powerhouse, engaging directly with consumers and consistently going viral online. Kory believes in listening closely to customer signals, investing heavily in brand storytelling and moving fast to stay ahead. And from a $200million to a $1billion brand. Not too shabby! So, Where Do We Go From Here? One thing Cannes made obvious this year: the size of your agency doesn’t matter. The scale of your budget doesn’t matter. What matters is what you believe in. Clients today aren’t looking for hierarchy. They’re looking for ideas. They want partners who think boldly, move quickly and act with creative conviction. At Lewis Moberly , that’s what we’ve always believed in. Small teams. Big energy. Work that doesn't just look good, but does something meaningful. Our ethos is a simple one. Collaborate closely. Think bravely. Make work that shifts the dial. Sometimes it’s quiet. Sometimes it’s loud. But as Cannes taught us, we don’t just need more ideas – we need ideas that move brands forward. And Bold beats Bureaucratic every single time. Clockwise from the top: Google Beach, Cannes 2025, Snap CMO Grace Kao. Image from Snapchat for Business Youtube Channel, Sir John Hegarty at Cannes 2025. Image from Sir John Hegarty LinkedIn, Dove Real Beauty AI Campaign. Image courtesy of Unilever, e.l.f. Beauty CMO Kory Marchisotto. Image courtesy e.l.f. Beauty. Subscribe to The Friday Edit Submit Thanks, we received your submission.

Discover how we elevated Experiencia Gourmet with a premium identity, showcasing fine cuisine through sophisticated and inviting design. IDENTITY DESIGN, BRAND EXPERIENCE, PACKAGING DESIGN No olive grove too steep, vineyard too remote or fjord too deep. Experiencia Gourmet food experts know where to find their treasures… LEARN MORE EXPERIENCIA GOURMET CHALLENGE The emergent middle class in Mexico have a growing interest in gourmet food and drink from around the world. The leading department store has responded by creating the most innovative and successful gourmet food hall in Mexico. The concept combines eating venues where consumers experience gourmet food prior to buying for home consumption. SOLUTION Our brand story and name introduce the buyers as experts and Experiencia Gourmet as a relaxing, enjoyable place to experiment. Reflecting a pleasurable, sociable gathering, the narrative identity unites an intriguing mix of creatures and icons, gathering to form the marque. This visually unravels throughout the food hall with a unique element dedicated to each venue — a playful invitation to participate. Every picture tells a story… RESULTS – food now up to 35% of daily stores sales – halo effect on motherbrand – business won from premium competitors – attracting younger consumers – own brand water outsells Mexico’s no.1 Coca Cola Ciel (despite being trice the price) – Success breeds success ambition roll-out programme: 1 store 2011 – 4 in 2012 – 8 in 2013 – 10 in 2014 – 14 in 2015… “The brand now accounts for a daily 14-35% of total store sales. This compares to a previous average figure for Liverpool gourmet food halls of 2%.” Juan Luis Berruga Director Food & Drink, El Puerto De Liverpool “Great news re the awards! Experiencia Gourmet is really making an impact here… We’ll be closing the year with six implementations… they’re all beautiful! Interlomas, Polanco, Santa Fe, Villahermosa, Puebla and Veracruz.” LOURDES MÉNDEZ BUSINESS PROJECTS MANAGER: EL PUERTO DE LIVERPOOL, MEXICO MORE WORK GLENFIDDICH LYQD NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM LEA & SANDEMAN MORE WORK TEST TITLE Video Title

See how we partnered with Biladi to elevate their brand through a design that reflects cultural roots and modern appeal. Our work showcases authenticity and vibrancy for a truly unique identity. BRAND CREATION, DESIGN Meaning ‘of the land’ in Arabic, Biladi aims to introduce the rich flavours and healthy lifestyle of Lebanon to a wider audience, as captured in its slogan Deliciously Lebanese. The brand marque is the ultimate expression of the brand’s personality. Beyond the vibrant colour palette, the logo changes its appearance on-pack via the use of two distinctive patterns, distinguishing between sweet and savoury products, which provide a contemporary twist on traditional Arabesque decorations. MORE WORK GLENFIDDICH LYQD NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM LEA & SANDEMAN MORE WORK TEST TITLE Video Title

Discover our bold and playful identity for Monkey Shoulder, designed to reflect the spirit and energy of this unconventional whisky brand. BRAND CREATION, STRUCTURE, DESIGN A good name can set up a question. A good design answers it. Monkey Shoulder disrupts the provenance mould and provides the barman with bar talk. LEARN MORE MONKEY SHOULDER CHALLENGE How to seamlessly balance the unexpected with the familiar, where most brands do one or the other to a fault. How to create a new ‘contemporary engaging brand’ in a well worn category. SOLUTION Rooted in whisky lore, the brand name Monkey Shoulder is inspired by, and named in honour of, the distillery malt men. These men acquire a stoop, known colloquially as ‘monkey shoulder’, from repeatedly turning the barley by hand… A clear, contemporary bottle is branded with a trio of three-dimensional monkeys, appropriately positioned on the shoulder. Each monkey represents one of three malts which form the blend. These iconic, polished, pewter monkeys are supported by a crafted, typographic label, setting out the malt men story. The minimal bottle, surprising name and story label create a tactile and distinctive presentation. “The iconic bottle design, complete with three brass monkeys — each representing one of the constituent single malts — on the bottle’s shoulder, is sure to attract confident, liberal minded people with discerning taste and ensures it’s not one to hide away in the drinks cabinet!” THEDRINKSSHOP.COM “Monkey Shoulder is in Selfridges as we speak… but you had better be quick, as it just broke their record, and is now the best spirit launch in Selfridges’ history.” GUY MIDDLETON INNOVATION, WILLIAM GRANT & SONS INT. LTD. MORE WORK WAITROSE COOKS' BENRIACH MORE WORK TEST TITLE Video Title

Explore our work with London Gatwick, reimagining the airport experience through a brand identity that enhances traveler comfort and engagement. BRAND IDENTITY, BRAND WORLD Typical transport branding is devoid of emotion. Our identity takes the passenger by the hand, recognising that the airport is the beginning of a journey, and should anticipate pleasure. LEARN MORE GATWICK AIRPORT CHALLENGE To disrupt the institutional wallpaper of airport identities, new owners of Gatwick needed to express a more personal ethos. Our brief was to restage Gatwick Airport as London’s challenger brand to Heathrow, and distance it from BAA’s institutional stance. Leisure passengers dominate at Gatwick. They are less familiar with airports than seasoned business travellers. Their holiday begins at the airport, not when they arrive at their destination. They describe themselves as being herded like sheep… SOLUTION Gatwick now offers a personal experience which is underlined by the new identity. Breaking with convention, the ‘Your London Airport’ identity is narrative-led, endorsed with a personal signature logo. Creating a dialogue is key to engaging consumers. An engaging tone of voice can de-stress and reassure. Create a dialogue… WINNER CORPCOMS AWARDS BEST CORPORATE REBRAND “Many thanks to you all once again for a fantastic presentation. We all left feeling so energised.” PAT CONWAY, MARKETING DIRECTOR GATWICK AIRPORT “Lewis Moberly's identity for Gatwick with its engaging narrative and informal logo enables us to connect to our passengers on a more personal level.” MIKE LUDDY, CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER GATWICK AIRPORT MORE WORK LA GRANDE EPICERIE DE PARIS THE GLENROTHES MORE WORK TEST TITLE Video Title

Discover our fresh and vibrant brand design for Coconutea, highlighting a fusion of tropical flavors with a contemporary visual identity. NAMING, BRAND CREATION, DESIGN How do you stand out in a saturated category, for all the right reasons? And express a playful attitude through a distinctive tone of voice… We let the name do the talking. Heroing the product and dispensing with outdated coconut imagery. “We had to let you know that the response to the website has been nothing less than astonishing. Thank you all for your work but especially for that extra bit of TLC which made the difference.” CALV & SANJ, COCONUTEA MORE WORK GLENFIDDICH LYQD NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM LEA & SANDEMAN MORE WORK TEST TITLE Video Title

Discover our work with Tidal Rum, where the coastal spirit and premium quality merge through a design that feels both authentic and adventurous. BRAND CREATION, DESIGN Every day moon powerfully commands the sea, only with us for a short time, before disappearing. This cycle gives Jersey its extreme tidal range, which allows for the foraging of rare sea botanicals. This powerful elemental connection aims to appeal to those who seek unconventional brands and fuel their sense of adventure. “The process working with the Lewis Moberly team was brilliant, from the workshops to the brand creation, we were offered a myriad of concepts from an honest and original approach. They instantly comprehended and capturedour offering – our moon concept embodies the very tidal essence.” HARRY COULTHARD DIRECTOR, SHORTS BOY DISTILLERY MORE WORK GLENFIDDICH LYQD NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM LEA & SANDEMAN MORE WORK TEST TITLE Video Title

See our partnership with Divino, bringing Italian luxury gelato to life through a brand design that speaks to indulgence and quality craftsmanship. BRAND IDENTITY, NAME GENERATION, PACKAGING DESIGN How does a small brand deliver big presence? By disrupting the category in a relevant and engaging way. Served naturally in the shell, Divino will bring a smile to those searching the frozen wasteland of the retail cabinet. “It has been a pleasure working with Lewis Moberly in transforming our brand from a mere vision to a tangible identity. Their ability to visualise our dream surpassed even our highest expectations.” GUIDO MOLINARI MANAGING DIRECTOR, ICE ITALY MORE WORK GLENFIDDICH LYQD NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM LEA & SANDEMAN MORE WORK TEST TITLE Video Title

Looking at current trends of functional drinks globally A Language Step Change The new language of functional beverages A Language Step Change additional title support line here? Asawari Bora, Strategist There was a time when soft drinks sold pure escapism. They promised pleasure, indulgence and liberation. A cold can shared with friends. A sugary reward. A moment of carefree enjoyment. The category was built on emotion, but that emotion was simple: fun. Today, drinks are being asked to do something very different. They still need to taste good. They still need to offer pleasure. But increasingly, they are also expected to improve us. To energise us. Calm us. Hydrate us. Focus us. Restore us. Modern beverages are no longer simply refreshments. They are lifestyle tools. And in the process, an entirely new cultural language is emerging. Functional beverages have rapidly evolved from a wellness niche into one of the most culturally influential spaces in modern branding. What was once confined to sports nutrition aisles and specialist health stores has exploded into mainstream culture, driven by a generation that expects more from the products they consume. This shift reflects something much bigger than changing drinking habits. It reflects a changing definition of aspiration itself. Imagery: Living Things, Moju, Trip, Kin Euphorics, Celsius, AG1, Hip Pop Wellness became visible culture For younger consumers especially, wellness is no longer private. It is social, performative and deeply tied to identity. The products people carry now communicate far more than taste preference. They signal values, routines, ambitions and self-awareness. A drink on a desk, in a gym bag or held in a TikTok video has become part of a carefully constructed visual language of self-optimisation. This is why functional beverages have moved beyond “health”. They now sit closer to fashion, beauty and lifestyle culture. Consumers are no longer simply choosing drinks. They are choosing signals. One person reaches for hydration and electrolytes as a marker of discipline and performance. Another chooses adaptogens and nootropics as a symbol of balance and emotional awareness. Another embraces playful gut-health brands that turn wellness into humour, colour and social currency. Function has become identity. And brands have responded accordingly. Imagery: Kin Euphorics A completely new aesthetic world What makes the functional beverage category so culturally significant is that it hasn’t just created new products. It has created entirely new design codes. Traditional soft drinks were designed for mass appeal. Functional beverages are designed for self-definition. Their role is no longer simply to refresh, but to communicate something about the person holding them: their mindset, priorities, routines, ambitions or emotional state. In many ways, these products now operate more like lifestyle accessories than traditional FMCG brands. Across the category, four distinct creative worlds are beginning to emerge. Imagery: Harpers Bazaar Big Personality Perhaps the loudest and most culturally visible territory, this world embraces wellness with a wink. These brands lean into hyper-saturated colour, oversized typography, playful irreverence and social-first storytelling. Benefits are communicated through humour, creators and cultural references rather than authority or clinical language. Packaging is designed to travel across Instagram and TikTok. Products become props within identity-driven content ecosystems, helping consumers project optimism, social fluency and cultural awareness rather than rigid self-discipline. Importantly, these brands understand that younger consumers often want wellness to feel optimistic and culturally connected rather than medicinal or overly disciplined. In this world, functionality becomes entertainment where wellness is no longer about perfection, it is about participation. Imagery: Agua de Mardre The rise of understated wellness At the opposite end of the spectrum sits a quieter, more considered movement. These brands reject hype in favour of calm confidence. Their visual language is restrained, elegant and highly composed. Muted palettes, editorial photography and minimal design systems create an atmosphere of quiet authority. Rather than shouting about benefits, they imply expertise through consistency, clarity and taste. Health is positioned more as a mature lifestyle choice rather than a trend or personality. This territory reflects the growing sophistication of modern wellness culture - where for many consumers, health is aspirational because it signals balance, discernment and control. Imagery: Medahuman, This is G Spot Mood, mysticism and emotional escape Another emerging world moves beyond performance entirely and into emotion.These brands are less concerned with self-optimisation and more interested in how people want to feel. Soft gradients, dreamlike imagery, immersive worlds and emotionally charged language create products that promise mood as much as function. The language shifts from physical benefit to emotional transformation: calm, uplift, clarity, euphoria, connection. What is particularly interesting about this movement is that it reflects a broader cultural desire for escape and emotional regulation. In an overstimulated world, these products offer small moments of transition. A way to shift gears emotionally, mentally or socially throughout the day. Here, drinks become vehicles for mood, atmosphere and sensory experience. Imagery: Kin Euphorics Radical clarity and the performance mindset At the same time, another group of brands is moving in an entirely different direction. These are the brands built around precision, transparency and measurable performance. The design language is stripped back, highly legible and often intentionally uncompromising. Benefits are explicit. Claims are quantified. The tone is direct and rational. In this territory, functionality is not softened through lifestyle storytelling. It is the entire story. Consumers are drawn to products that feel engineered for improvement - hydration, endurance, recovery, focus, energy. The aesthetic communicates discipline and capability. The appeal lies partly in serious self-improvement, but also in trust. In an increasingly crowded category filled with vague promises and wellness theatre, radical clarity becomes a signal of credibility. Imagery: Cadence The category is moving from impulse consumption towards behavioural integration. Socialising itself is becoming more intentional. More daytime-led, more wellness-conscious and more centred around mood, activity and emotional needs. Functional beverages fit naturally into this new landscape because they support the way modern consumers increasingly want to live: balancing pleasure with productivity, stimulation with recovery, and self-expression with self-care. This is what makes the opportunity in this category so significant. The brands succeeding in this space are not simply selling ingredients or benefits. They are building systems of meaning around modern lifestyles. They understand that consumers increasingly want products that fit seamlessly into who they are - or who they aspire to become. From products to rituals What connects all these movements is a fundamental shift in the role drinks now play in everyday life. Traditional soft drinks were occasional pleasures. Functional beverages aim to become embedded within rituals: Morning energy. Post-workout recovery. Afternoon focus. Evening calm. Social wellness. Emotional reset. As traditional social habits continue to fragment, consumers are increasingly building smaller, more personalised rituals throughout the day. Wellness culture has accelerated this shift, particularly among younger consumers who are redefining what connection, balance and leisure look like. The category is moving from impulse consumption towards behavioural integration. Socialising itself is becoming more intentional. More daytime-led, more wellness-conscious and more centred around mood, activity and emotional needs. Imagery: Plenish The opportunity for established brands For established brands entering this space, this creates both opportunity and tension. Many established brands possess something newer functional players often lack: trust, credibility and substance. But credibility alone is no longer enough to drive cultural resonance. Today’s consumers expect brands to move beyond being trusted and become desired. That requires a different type of communication. One that balances authenticity with aspiration. Science with emotion. Heritage with relevance. The brands that succeed will be the ones able to evolve without losing the qualities that made them meaningful in the first place. In a category often dominated by short-lived trends, brands with genuine substance have the potential to stand apart, provided they can express that substance in compelling ways. The strongest brands in the future functional beverage landscape will not simply chase trends or mimic startup aesthetics. They will build distinctive worlds rooted in genuine values and believable expertise. Because despite the noise surrounding the category, one thing remains true: Modern consumers are increasingly sophisticated at recognising the difference between brands built on hype and brands built on substance. And in a world obsessed with optimisation, integrity may become the most powerful function of all. If you’d like to discuss the future of functional beverages and how your brand can build relevance within this evolving landscape, get in touch. Subscribe to The Friday Edit Submit Thanks, we received your submission.