Based in The Bahamas, the Flying Dutchman liquor store sells specialty rums and spirits at reasonable prices. Named after the fabled sea captain known for being a rum trader, the store had an alcohol selection that included the finest local and imported liquor.

With zero growth in over 40 years, the Flying Dutchman brand and customer experience felt dated and out of touch. In addition to a poor Brand Identity that wasn’t customer driven, the stores were rundown and generic and located in only low-income areas. Cost-driven and with no scalable business model, the Flying Dutchman brand lacked equity and didn’t capitalize on its name or The Bahamas’ association with rum.

HOW CREATIVE transformed the Flying Dutchman brand into an industry leader by using the traditional stories of the legendary ghost ship, Flying Dutchman, connecting its brand to this storied legacy to appeal to the tourist and cruise market. To take full ownership of the fable, the store displayed posters representing various aspects of the famed story.

Store interiors were updated and relocated to more desirable areas to capture both locals and tourists. The brand experience was overhauled via a website redesign and by repositioning Flying Dutchman as a brand personality versus a faceless corporation.

To introduce new products and build brand awareness around their private labels, stores started hosting live events, including weekly wine tastings and live radio shows. Five franchises were rolled out in under a year and a half to capitalize on the brand’s new identity and increase sales.

With HOW CREATIVE’s help, Flying Dutchman experienced a sharp increase in overall brand awareness and value, leading to rapid private label growth and a sizable increase in their customer base. Setting a new standard in retail presentation and customer experience, Flying Dutchman created a thriving brand culture and set a new standard in the liquor store category.

Flying Dutchman went on to open six franchise stores in under three years and created multiple sources of revenue from both its brick-and-mortar stores and online presence. The company was ultimately sold profitably to new ownership.