Grit & Pearl

Featured Work Captain Morgan

UNLEASHING PERSONALISATION POWER FOR OVER 1 MILLION FANS: FUELING EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS THROUGH SCALABLE DESIGN INGENUITY

In a world where everyone wants to feel seen, Captain Morgan saw an opening, to put real emotion into the hands of its fans. Think: bottles that speak directly to people at the events they care about, in the places that matter most.

The Challenge

How do you make personalisation feel one-of-a-kind… when you need to deliver over a million bottles? How do you keep things beautifully on-brand, cost-effective, and production-ready across dozens of global markets, campaigns, and formats?

It was a big ask. But exactly the kind of challenge we live for.

Our Approach

Together with Trident, we engineered a systemised yet flexible personalisation model, underpinned by rapid prototyping, adaptive material development, and design-led thinking.

We developed an adaptable model that could support limited editions, live events, and culture-driven campaigns, without losing soul or quality. Every decision, from material to final print, was guided by rapid prototyping, in-house testing, and a relentless focus on craft.

Behind the Scenes Magic

  • We created a custom uncoated, opaque label stock, no bleed-through, all impact.
  • We introduced on-site colour testing to guarantee precision before mass print.
  • We built agile print workflows to handle hundreds of unique variants.

The result? A brand that could move at speed and scale, while still feeling tailored at every touchpoint, from duty-free shops to sports stadiums.

Activations

  • Project Airport: Bespoke labels (white & spiced) launched in major duty-free locations in the US, UK, and EU.
  • Project Homerun & Hockey: On-site personalisation for MLB and NHL fans at stadiums.
  • Project Soccer: Over 800 bottles shipped to every MLS player and 9 teams with custom colours and logos.
  • Project Gasparilla: Special edition bottles for Tampa’s legendary pirate festival.
  • Project Basketball: NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks got the Captain treatment during key games.

The Result

  • 1M+ personalised labels printed and distributed.
  • 27 unique designs created and managed across 4 years.
  • Custom material invented to meet project needs.
  • Print-on-demand capability scaled across three continents.
  • Fans emotionally engaged with product experiences tailored just for them.