Mysterious, dramatic, unforgettable. Meet the Don.

And so while I was in Porto I decided to visit Sandeman, a producer of Port Wine since 1790. But this article isn’t about Portugal, or the history of Port. And though I thoroughly enjoyed my tasting session, it’s also not about delicious Port Wine either.

What has stayed with me is Sandeman’s stunning brand.

‘The Don’ iconic image

Possibly the first true wine logo, ‘The Don’ is an essential part of the Sandeman identity and probably the most iconic trademark image in the worldwide drinks business.

Just look at that image. It’s so striking, memorable and instantly recognisable. I often speak of brands as evoking heritage, culture or ethos. But the Don appears mysterious, bold and rakish. To me he evokes a memory of matinee films of the 1940s, but he predates those movies.

Painted 95 years ago in 1928 the Don is dressed as a Spanish caballeros, or horseman. He’s wearing a Coimbra cape and Jerez – which is a Spanish sombrero. I didn’t know any of that then, how would I? It doesn’t matter, because the silhouette is so dramatic that it sears into your mind. 

Now that’s branding with balls.

233 years of branding

All this led me to the Sandeman winery, and a tour of their cellars. While there I discovered the “Sandeman Don” is one of the world’s first ever brand images and the first major icon in the wine world. From there I continued to delve into their 233 illustrious years, and what I found was a pioneer of branding, always with an eye to the future.

The first to ‘brand’ a cask

At a time when ‘brand names’ were unheard of – and wines were shipped in barrels and not bottles – Sandeman literally ‘branded’ the wood casks with initials – GSC (George Sandeman & Co.) Sandeman was also one of the first companies to bottle, label and advertise wines. 

Sandeman had – and continues to have – a great reputation for excellence and quality Port Wines. The branding, and subsequent advertising were efforts to ensure everyone knew of Sandeman’s quality, and that they knew they were buying true Sandeman Port.

Advertising pioneers

Over the years Sandeman has continually disrupted and challenged industry norms. From the then controversial idea of press and TV advertising to developing new port wines. They were pioneers of tawny port wine, different to the traditional ruby version we all know and love. 

And in 2018 they even opened ‘The House of Sandeman Hostel and Suites’ – the world’s first branded hostel. Now that’s diversification at its most brave. You can find it on ‘Time’ magazine’s places to visit in 2020.

Never standing still

Despite the venerable heritage we love this brand because it constantly evolves to stay relevant, and keeps on inspiring its audience. They’ve tweaked the Don subtly, introducing a new illustrative line style icon. He still cuts a dark and dramatic figure – thanks to artist Chris Mitchall – but he now has a fresh, contemporary feel.

I found much of this information on their brilliant website. Their site features a stylish, interactive timeline which takes you on a journey through their history. It’s as I always say, your history is important to your story and the foundation of your brand. And Sandeman has presented this beautifully. It really shows their heritage, but also that they always kept one eye to the future – evolving the brand, injecting drama or modernity as the changing times demanded.

Cheers, or I suppose I should say, Felicidades! Here’s to another 233 years of Sandeman’s ballsy branding.