Australian wine brand Yellow Tail, owned by Casella Family Brands, has undergone its first branding update in two decades, as reported last week by the business portal "Fast Company." This brand relaunch aims to strengthen and rejuvenate the company's image, allowing it to regain visibility in the competitive value wine market. Key changes include moving the brand name Yellow Tail closer to the logo, giving the grape varietal more prominence within the colored band, and adding concise taste descriptions. The brand's logo, a yellow-footed rock-wallaby—a relative of the kangaroo—is nicknamed "Roo" by the company. It now features a rounded back, clearer outline, and simplified shapes, giving it a more cartoonish appearance. The newly designed bottles are expected to hit the market in June.
Packaging with cult status
Libby Nutt, Marketing and Export Manager for Yellow Tail, is quoted by "Fast Company" as saying, "Yellow Tail’s pack design is iconic" and has remained largely unchanged since its introduction. However, after more than 20 years, it was time for a strategic update, enhancing the design without losing its distinctiveness. The wine market is increasingly competitive, making eye-catching shelf presence and strong branding more important than ever. This update builds upon our existing brand values and makes them even more recognizable."
The Yellow Tail brand was launched in 2000 by the Casella family, who were previously active in the Australian bulk wine trade, as a way to enter the bottled wine business. Sales surged from 200,000 to, at times, 14m cases. In 2005, Yellow Tail sold more wine in the USA than all French producers combined. A crucial factor in this success was the simple, playful design, which subsequently sparked the so-called "Critter Wave" in Australia, where small animals became the central focus of label designs.
Between 2021 and 2022, Casella's sales — with Yellow Tail accounting for around 50% — declined significantly, although they recovered the following year. Since the pandemic, Gen Z and Millennials have increasingly favored canned cocktails. SP
