William's Conserve: A Blend of Tradition and Innovation

Springetts' Award-Winning Design Reimagines Jam Packaging

The design team at Springetts was tasked with creating a jar that was not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing. The goal was to design a jar that consumers would want to keep on display, rather than hidden away in a cupboard. The inspiration for this design came from the original Histon village signpost, with elements such as the windmill, duck pond, and local boot maker incorporated into the design. This gave the jar an intrinsic value, making it more than just a container for jam.

Working with glass manufacturer Beatson Clark, Springetts created a jar that allowed for minimal branding space and embossed the new logo crest. The label was designed to be easily removable, encouraging consumers to reuse the jar as homemade jam gained popularity. The jar's unique properties and design features set it apart from other jam jars in the market.

Springetts also developed a new tone of voice for the brand, using words like 'scrummy' and 'delightfully' to further emphasize the Britishness of the brand. The brand name William’s was chosen over WMP Hartley to give a more personal feel to the range and distance it from the everyday range.

The jar, made of glass with a metal lid and a cardboard outer wrap, contains 340g of jam. The design was launched in the UK in the autumn of 2017. The project was a response to the popularity of French brand Bonne Maman in the UK market. Springetts' design aimed to reclaim the Britishness of jam and scones.

The design faced several challenges, including creating a proposition based on ‘Distinctive British Conserves’ and going back to when William Pickles Hartley first decided to make conserves back in 1871. The product was created using only selected British fruits and cooked very slowly to preserve as much fruit as possible. Despite these challenges, the design was well-received and won the Golden A' Packaging Design Award in 2018.