BRINGING FOUR GENERATIONS OF HERITAGE INTO ONE BRAND

— THE CHALLENGE

For over a century, Ginstberg has bottled natural mineral water at the foot of the Ginstberg hill in the Flemish Ardennes. The only 100% nitrate-free water in Belgium, lowest in salt, and good for everyone from babies to the elderly. But somewhere along the way, that story got lost in translation. Years of uncoordinated styling choices had pulled Ginstberg apart into three identities. One brand had quietly become three. How could consumers understand this brand?

Ginstberg came to Catchafish with a clear ambition: become one brand again, with one identity, consistent across the full assortment yet flexible enough to welcome future innovation. And crucially, stop selling water alone. Start selling the unique values, the rich heritage and the emotion behind it.

— THE RESULT IN POSITIVE CHANGE

Ginstberg is one brand again. A single, recognisable identity now runs consistently across still and sparkling water, lemonades and every format in between. Recognisability and tradition are now the brand's clearest asset on the shelf, and something to cherish again.

— Client

Ginstberg

— Market

Retail Drinks trade Horeca Healthcare Schools

— Expertise

Brand strategy by Àfond Go to market strategy by Àfond Brand strategy on pack Brand logo design Packaging design In close collaboration with Àfond Food & drinks Marketing

Result

STRATEGY

Strategic sessions organized by Àfond with the Ginstberg team, on which Catchafish built with even more strategic insights, gave grounded insights and direction to start design work from. Rather than chasing new sales volumes in channels, data pointed to untapped potential for Ginstberg's customer base. Production volumes were good, the problem was the brand experience. That insight made clear this wasn't a case for reinvention, but for rediscovery.
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Catchafish built on recognisability, simplicity and its unique family history and credibility. Mapped against other water brands, Ginstberg’s ambition to sit slightly higher on the premium ladder would work if this brand's genuine uniqueness was put to work.

BRANDING & PACKAGING DESIGN

The brand became hero. The existing oval emblem with a modernized typography stayed at the heart of the redesign, but sharpened. "EST." and "1897" now frame the top of the badge, a Belgian flag was woven in with care, and the claim "four generations of natural mineral water from the Flemish Ardennes" earned its place front and centre.
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We tested the frame around the emblem intensely. Bringing back the full ornamental border made the design feel busy and pushed the brand itself into the background. The breakthrough came from a different question entirely: what does Ginstberg's own story look like, visually? We created a natural water ring, rippling outward from the very heart of the label, with the emblem placed at its centre, echoing both the spring and the four generations it has carried forward.
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Applied across the full range, plain and sparkling water, lemon and orange lemonade, Zero Orange, the result now reads as one coherent family, whatever the format.

A CONSISTENT FUTURE

With one identity finally holding the full assortment together, Ginstberg has the structural foundation to keep building: strengthening its position in existing B2B and B2C channels where growth potential is there, giving room for expansion if wanted, and opening the door to future product innovation without ever fragmenting the brand again.