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Lyle's new design for Golden Syrup was a big controversy. Golden Syrup has been loved by British people for over 150 years with its surreal illustrations and beautiful Victorian-style decorations.
Designed in 1883, the logo holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-standing packaging that has remained unchanged.
Founder Lyle was a devout believer and took inspiration from religion to design the packaging. Golden Syrup contains the story of Samson's 'Lion and the Bee' among many Old Testament stories.
Samson killed a lion he met on the road with his bare hands, and when he returned a few days later, he found a beehive inside the lion's carcass. Afterwards, at a wedding, he asked people a riddle: “From those who eat, food comes, and from those who are strong, sweets come.” The packaging contained a picture of a dead lion and a bee and a riddle.
The new packaging design is completely different. The lion, who appears to have risen from his seat, looks straight ahead with an expression that does not understand its meaning. Just one bee floats around the lion like a lion's hairpin. The teacup-like canteen has been replaced with a plastic syrup container, giving the overall impression of a beer bottle.
The radical change to the modern design angered both consumers and churches. Consumers expressed great disappointment that an original and historic design had become so ordinary. The church expressed displeasure, saying that a brand based on a famous Christian anecdote was making light of its roots. After several controversies, the senior vice president eventually publicly apologized for the incident.
This is a good example of what happens if you fail to modernize your brand in a sophisticated way and protect its heritage. It is always necessary to quickly adapt to change, but I can see that if the idea of one's roots is shaken, all expressions are bound to be shaken.
Every Tuesday morning, a designer with 16 years of experience curated Collect design trends.
