Page 4 - Revised Capel & Co 060525

Walking Gun Field Sports Photography Proposal to Capel & Co
Luxury heritage benchmark (Purdey Cartridges) sets the gold standard in aligning brand, lifestyle, and product presentation.
The insight is clear: there is ample opportunity for a brand that combines the refined elegance of Purdey with broader accessibility, yet avoids the trap of becoming too niche or overly performance-driven. CAPEL & Co. fits this strategic space — a heritage-rich, aesthetically distinctive cartridge brand with packaging and storytelling designed for the high-end driven shoot.
By analysing competitors, we also highlight specific shortcomings to avoid: • Poor visual consistency
• Overuse of clashing colours
• Confused product segmentation (clay vs game)
• Lack of emotional or lifestyle storytelling
Our proposal for CAPEL & Co. reflects not just a gap, but a clear roadmap for how to fill it with distinction and
longevity.
Competitor & Market Analysis
A rigorous analysis of the competitive landscape is essential for positioning Capel & Co. The following are eight of the most relevant players in the UK and European cartridge market, reviewed across packaging, visual identity, and website presence.
1. Gamebore
Packaging: Gamebore's Black Gold Dark Storm is a leader in the premium market. Its packaging is dominated by matte black tones with subtle gloss accents and bold metallic typography. It creates a feeling of power and performance but is perhaps more aligned with high-velocity "performance" shooters than with refined traditionalists. The design is sleek, masculine, and technically impressive, though not subtle or elegant. Website: Polished and modern, the Gamebore website integrates high-resolution lifestyle imagery with clean product presentation. However, the tone is quite matter-of-fact and lacks emotional storytelling. It speaks well to competitive shooters but feels too industrial for the luxury-driven, etiquette-conscious game shooting market.
Gamebore (https://gamebore.com)
Website: Clean interface with emphasis on innovation and technical performance. However, game vs clay segmentation is not immediately clear, leading to a muddled user journey.
Branding/Packaging: Modern, dark colours, technical focus (e.g., "Dark Storm", "Black Gold"). Overly focused on high-performance claims.
Colour Scheme: Heavy blacks, greys, and metallics. Aimed at masculine, tactical aesthetic. Lacks warmth and heritage.
Continuity: Somewhat consistent online and on boxes, but lacks cohesion across media and merch. Consistency Score: 6/10
Associations: Mainly performance-driven partnerships, few clear lifestyle tie-ins.
2. Hull Cartridge Company
Packaging: Hull’s boxes lean toward traditional values — dark, heritage colours, serif fonts, and imagery linked to country sport. Products like High Pheasant Extreme use gold crests and illustrative birds. While respectable, their packaging can feel dated. It's consistent, but lacks boldness or standout shelf presence.
The Rectory, Tor View, Horrabridge, Devon. PL20 7RE