Jim Beam is a brand of the number 1 selling bourbon in the world. It was founded by Jacob Beam in 1795 in Kentucky, USA under the name Old Tub Bourbon. In 1934 the brand changed its name to Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Jim Beam has been run by one family for seven generations and was sold to Suntory Holdings in 2014. Today the company is called Beam Suntory.
The Jim Beam logo has become iconic. It’s traditional quality red seal with a single letter “B” ( to represent “Beam” – a nod to the company’s legacy), the brand’s name “Jim Beam” and a year of it’s foundation, is highly recognizable all over the world and is used on many more items than just bourbon bottles.
The Jim Beam main color palette is a classic white-black-red scheme, but the colors vary depending on the product. Four of the products—Jim Beam Devil’s Cut, Jim Beam Rye, Jim Beam Black and Jim Beam Bonded Bourbon—feature a bolder, more rectangular bottle structure with premium label enhancements, including extra detailing, crafted borders, gold foil finishes, refined embossing and a matte paper stock, with a matte-finished shrink sleeve along the closure.
The Jim Beam bottle has a bold structure with a clean label design, distiller portraits and a refined ‘rosette’ logo, to tie together the brand’s flavored product range, which includes Jim Beam Apple, Jim Beam Honey, Jim Beam Maple and Red Stag by Jim Beam.
Placing distiller portraits on the bottle is very important for the company. Seventh generation master distiller and Jim Beam’s great-grandson, Fred Noe comments: “This represents another historic milestone in my family’s history. I’ve always been proud to see the faces of every Beam master distiller displayed on Jim Beam bottles across the world and these bottles feel even better in my hands when pouring this fine bourbon.”
The key to Jim Beam iconic vision was the big idea of family – encapsulating the unique heritage of the Beam family, who are respectfully referred to by many as the first family of bourbon. To promote and celebrate this special spirit, a design philosophy called ‘Living Legacy’ was created.
The Jim Beam logo reflects the brand’s connection of its past and future and represents a united family of products that tell an American story.
By building a successful brand personality, Jim Beam has been able to create a “Tribe”, people who love them for who they are and what they stand for, creating a strong loyalty for the brand, people who act as everyday brand ambassadors.