The visual sign tells about distant wanderings and the spread of the brand outside of France. The brand’s champagne is in demand in many countries, and the Veuve Clicquot logo conveys information about the drink’s birthplace to all buyers.
Veuve Clicquot: Brand overview
Founded: | 1772 |
Founder: | Philippe Clicquo |
Headquarters: | Reims, France |
Website: | veuve-clicquot.com |
Meaning and History
Philippe Clicquot was a banker and textile manufacturer to which he devoted his entire life. But at the same time, he was the owner of vineyards in the Champagne region, so he decided to start his own wine business. His main goal was to improve the taste of the wine so that foreign buyers would like it; as a result, the experimenter supplied up to 4 thousand bottles to the market every year and up to 7 thousand during harvest time.
In 1798 he married his son François Clicquot to the daughter of his business partner Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin. His winemaking company was then renamed Clicquot-Muiron et Fils. Annual sales of champagne rose to 60,000 bottles (in 1804). Due to the enormous profit, all other activities of the entrepreneur were relegated to the back burner. The company began to hire traveling salespeople for long-distance trips to distribute its branded products.
What is Veuve Clicquot?
Veuve Clicquot is a French spirits brand that represents several varieties of champagne. It is owned by Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin and is part of LVMH. The brand had existed since 1772 when Philippe Clicquot-Muiron was created. The main factory and headquarters are located in Reims in the Champagne region.
From 1801 onwards, François Clicquot took over full management of the winery. He frequently traveled to promote his beverage and get to know his customers’ tastes. The young businessman also brought a full notebook of orders from merchants and individuals. He died suddenly of typhoid fever in 1805, leaving the business to his 27-year-old widow. At first, Philippe Clicquot wanted to liquidate the family business. Still, his son’s wife persuaded her father-in-law not to do so because she decided to continue the work he had begun.
The widow went through many difficulties because a woman entrepreneur in those days was perceived as blasphemy: her fate awaited only the inconsolable wife, hostess, and mother. But Madame coped and proved that she was worthy of more. Fortunately, widows were allowed to conduct business. Having achieved first success, the budding businesswoman renamed the company Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin, adding her maiden name and civil status – a widow. It happened in the summer of 1810.
When Philippe Clicquot was producing and selling spirits, he did not label the bottles in any way, offering just sparkling wine. The earliest label appeared on them only in 1798. It served more as a source of information than as a means of advertising the brand. It bore the initials “CM & F,” a shortened version of “Clicquot-Muiron et Fils,” which was in the sea anchor to signify that the products were distributed on ships and exported extensively abroad. At the same time, it denoted a symbol of hope.
The anchor was depicted not only on the label but also on the cork, where it was carefully engraved. The bottles were sealed in green wax with gold flecks. It was the only mark by which champagne was instantly recognized. In 1811 the abbreviation VCP, which stands for Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, appeared on the anchor. The first real label on Veuve Clicquot sparkling wines was applied in 1814 when Louis Bohne’s manager asked the owner to add some beautiful ornamentation.
The sealing of the bottles was gradually disappearing: it was replaced by modern materials such as tinsel or foil. They were wrapped around the neck to prevent drips of the contents from leaking out. In 1895 the factory added polished and lacquered metal mesh with the initials VCP and an anchor motif to the corks. Four years later, a white or yellow paper strip was added to the logo, depending on the quality of the wine.
Veuve Clicquot Champagne began to be regularly supplied with the label in 1835. In 1877 the label was officially registered and became a trademark. It received its final look only in 1903. Before that period, the most recognizable color on the bottle was a bright yellow marking close to the orange palette. It immediately caught the eye and distinguished the French wine from its competitors.
The color designation survived as two tiny squares on the right and left of the phrase “Reims France.” The name of the sparkling wine production place is on the bottom line, and above it, there is the name of the brand. It is typed in upper-case block letters and decorated with thin straight serifs. At the very top is an anchor with the initials “VCP,” indicating Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin. It is surrounded by a six-pointed star in the form of a hexagon with concave edges.
Font and Colors
The lettering on the Veuve Clicquot logo is in two types of fonts. A typographic antiqua with flat letters and narrow straight serifs is used for the main text. And each letter consists of both wide and thin lines, which, when combined, form an individual style. In the second line, the words are typed in grotesque. The label’s signature palette contains yellow (close to bright gold) and black. The background color is white.
Veuve Clicquot color codes
Eerie Black | Hex color: | #1c1c1b |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 28 28 27 | |
CMYK: | 0 0 4 89 | |
Pantone: | PMS Neutral Black C |
Marigold | Hex color: | #efa220 |
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RGB: | 239 162 32 | |
CMYK: | 0 32 87 6 | |
Pantone: | PMS 137 C |