Case Study: Spirit of Yorkshire strengthens Filey Bay’s brand and portfolio with The Collaborators

Spirit of Yorkshire strengthens Filey Bay for future growth with The Collaborators after 123% CAGR

The Collaborators, a drinks design agency, worked with Spirit of Yorkshire to address a challenge with their Filey Bay whisky brand. The original monolithic design system, which had successfully launched Yorkshire's first single malt whisky, was now limiting the growing range. It made variants hard to distinguish, constrained storytelling, and did not work well as a stand-alone asset following packaging changes, presenting a strategic challenge to improve range navigation and clarity for a wider audience.

The Collaborators solved this by defining a new portfolio architecture with three distinct pillars: Core, Special Releases, and a new story-led range called Editions. This strategic framework clarified the visual relationship between ranges and created space for future growth. The agency provided services including brand strategy, architecture, visual identity, and label design. The work was integral to making the whiskies unique and desirable, contributing to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of +123% between 2016 and 2022.

Spirit of Yorkshire