Virgin Wines
Creating a narrative—from Grape to Glass.
A redesign that embodies Virgin Wines' passion for good wine.
We wanted to ensure that every site visit is an exploration of joy. Simplicity, imagery, and a strong narrative lead users through Virgin Wines' ethos, while still prioritising conversions.
What’s wrong with the original site?
The original 'About Us' and 'Events' pages needed some work. They didn't have a consistent design, the information was hard to follow, and they didn't show if things were working properly. They had too much text and used different styles that didn't match the new brand rules.
Virgin brands follow a guideline of 10% rules and 90% creative freedom.
These Virgin brand guidelines taught us that embracing creativity in our redesign could align us better with the wider Virgin family. We can learn from their joyful tone of voice, which presents a bold and playful narrative, and their focus on being approachable and human-centred.
Users should understand that every vineyard, grape and supplier is picked with them in mind.
Virgin Wines story is crucial - it catches attention and sparks emotion. Other brands forget to make you, the customer, the hero. Weaving stories into the design, makes it easier for users to engage with them.
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Visual imagery significantly enhances user understanding and recall, proven by testing.
Clear calls-to-action (CTAs) guide users and showcase company offerings effectively.
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Use tone of voice and narrative to engage users and establish brand mission.
Simplify design and hierarchy for a smoother experience, and a reduction of drop-off rates.
The wrong solution
To tell the story of joy in Virgin Wines, our initial solution was to literally show how joy is at every part of the grapes journey. But as designing started, I began to doubt if it would work.
I realised we needed to change direction, even though the presentation deadline was close. The design for the grape idea got too complicated, tested poorly and had problems. It became clear we needed to move on.
Communicating joy more abstractly
The About Us page is created to draw users into Virgin Wines’ story. I added interactive gradients to express joy in a unique way. As you scroll, the colours blend to symbolise the wine journey, from grape to blend to bottle and beyond. Keeping users engaged - the gradients evoke the joy of swirling wine in a glass. As users scroll they shift, blend and morph to match the content.
Simplifying information with concise text and impactful images
The Gradients represent different aspects of Virgin Wines, from production to environmental responsibility. A bold call to action concludes each page, encouraging confident browsing and buying.
You say “Our connection to Virgin” we say “Beyond the Bottle”
The ‘about us’ copy is made to resonate with users, blending lighthearted fun with a commitment to quality. So instead of using the original "Our Connection to Virgin," saying "Beyond the Bottle," adds wit and interest while maintaining Virgin Wines’ core message throughout subheadings and body copy.
Joy at every touchpoint
Using the same gradient style across pages creates consistency and aids navigation. Applied to the Events page, it transforms a list - into a narrative about wine culture and past events, inviting people to join the fun.
Giving users a better experience.
We achieved this by combining simplicity, clear guidance, and engaging stories. Our aim was to share Virgin Wines' passion for good wine and ensure users can easily explore and enjoy the site.
