JKR helps Schweppes rediscover its sparkle with a heritage-inspired redesign

Schweppes gets a major glow-up, complete with a new look and the return of Clive the Leopard. We learn more about the brand’s latest drive to maintain its dominance in the category.

The world’s first soda is undergoing its biggest makeover in generations, thanks to JKR, Studio.One and Mischief.

Schweppes has unveiled a sweeping brand refresh, including a new global identity, a platform celebrating its rich heritage, and the return of one very familiar face: Clive the Leopard, who’ll be making a grand debut on London’s Piccadilly Circus screens this summer.

Widely recognised as the world’s first soda, Schweppes changed the drinks industry forever by pioneering the first commercially viable way to bottle and sell carbonated water to the masses.

Now, more than 240 years after Jacob Schweppe launched the brand in 1783, it’s looking back to move forward. And no, that doesn’t mean it’s trying to jump on the modern craft soda bandwagon. It’s instead aiming to reclaim the territory it helped create so long ago.

Going back to its roots

Long before wellness became a billion-pound industry and functional drinks filled our supermarket shelves, Schweppes was already a household name. Founded to make carbonated mineral water more accessible for its supposed restorative qualities, it was arguably doing “wellness before wellness” while mixing science, craft and taste centuries ahead of the curve.

Innovation remained part of its story. The launch of Indian Tonic Water in 1870 helped define the mixer category, while a Royal Warrant cemented the brand’s reputation for quality and distinction.

More recently, however, Schweppes drifted towards mass-market accessibility while newer challengers leaned into craftsmanship and premium positioning. The new transformation, revealed earlier this week, aims to bring those qualities back to the forefront. “We realised it was no longer enough to simply show up in the aisle,” says Joshua Schwarber, senior global design director at The Coca-Cola Company. “Schweppes needed to better reflect the quality, sophistication and authority it had built for more than two centuries.”

At the heart of the relaunch is a new global platform, With Time Comes Taste, built around the idea that great taste isn’t rushed; it’s developed and perfected over time – a fitting message for a brand that’s been around since George III was on the throne. Yes, really.

An identity built on heritage

As you’d expect from a project as exciting as this, the visual identity draws heavily from Schweppes’ own archives. Historic typography, original fountain illustrations, and other legacy assets inspired the redesign, helping the brand maintain its old-world charm while adding much-needed modern luxury.

Throughout the entire global portfolio, the bold, saffron yellow is complemented by an updated logo that takes cues from 18th-century serif lettering. The fountain symbol, meanwhile, references its appearance at the Great Exhibition of 1851, hinting once again at its pioneering start.

Across the wider identity, decorative patterns, monograms and ornate details reinforce the idea that “time equals taste”. Photography bathed in a warm golden-hour glow brings a more elevated, contemporary feel to the brand world.

What’s in a mascot?

Then there’s Clive – a leopard mascot that first appeared in Schweppes advertising in 1999, created to embody the drink’s distinctive “bite”. Now he’s back, reimagined for a new era and ready to front what the brand is calling the “Summer of Schweppes”.

Alongside Clive’s Piccadilly Circus debut later this month, Schweppes will be popping up at a series of UK cultural events, including Royal Ascot and the Queen’s Club Championships, with a programme of premium experiences and activations planned throughout the rest of the summer.

Santiago Iturralde, president of Sparkling Flavours at Coca-Cola, says the new platform reflects changing consumer tastes, particularly the growing demand for premium non-alcoholic options and moderation-friendly drinks that still feel special. Who doesn’t love a grown-up drink without the booze?

The refreshed identity has already begun rolling out across packaging in the UK and South Africa, with further launches planned across Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia throughout 2026.