media update’s Aisling McCarthy chatted to Melanie Campbell, Pernod Ricard South Africa’s head of marketing of white spirits and rum, about creating relevant content for audiences.

You work as the head of marketing for white spirits and rum, what is the most challenging part of marketing these products?

Vodka, gin, and rum brands don’t generate as much profit as whiskey, cognac, and champagne brands, which invariably means that our brands have less money to work with. Working with a tight budget means that we have to be selective – choosing fewer initiatives that will really make an impact.

It also requires us to think cleverly about how to cut through a cluttered environment and find a point of product differentiation that is ‘ownable’ and meaningful.

Too many brands nowadays rehash previous work with a new twist, rather than identifying unmet needs or new creative territories. To move forward requires an understanding of how the industry is likely to evolve, and how to break the notions of how things are done.

Why do you think it is important to create relevance for the audience when it comes to strategically marketing products?

Given that white spirits and rum are sold largely on how they make you feel, and not only on their taste given that they are consumed with mixers, it’s imperative to create something meaningful that connects with the consumer.

Creating real relevance requires making the consumer see the brand as an integral part to their life, and not just something bought based on price.

Relevance requires us to take insights dear to the consumers’ hearts and address those needs by either unlocking a barrier in the consumption occasion or addressing an unmet opportunity. Once the key insight is derived, it is essential that the brand executes this authentically, routed in a brand truth, in order to win over consumers.

For example, creativity is at the heart of Absolut’s DNA and always has been. Any insight related to creativity would be credibly owned by the brand, ensuring a strong brand linkage.

You worked on Khuli Chana’s ‘One Source’ concept album, in partnership with Absolut Vodka. How did you create something that was relevant to the South African audience?

With the bulk of vodka sold at a price point of R100, it was imperative to us to convince consumers to pay more for premium vodka. Absolut is the leading premium vodka and has a carbon neutral footprint, which is just one of the ways the Swedish manufacturers go above and way beyond in the quality production process.

We set out to create relevance for this very new notion of ‘one source’; this was not a vodka product intrinsic. To make ‘One Source’ meaningful to Africans, we drew a parallel between the vodkas origin and human origin – stating that Africa was the one source of all creativity, as the birthplace of humanity.

To celebrate Africa’s creativity, we set out to create the biggest African collaboration album, co-created by consumers and we launched this at the MTV Africa Music Awards. The campaign has subsequently won numerous awards, including four Cannes Lions, seven Bookmarks, and nine Loeries.

What is your recipe for success when it comes to strategic marketing?

My recipe for success is fivefold:

  • Make sure you know the brand’s history and semiotics, and remain true to these: I read the autobiography of Lars Olsson Smith, founder of Absolut Vodka, to ensure that what we do always remains true to his intent; and
  • Make sure the communication is routed in brand truth, and not merely a popular trend: I encourage the teams to identify the elements linked to the brand that are unique and differentiating. This ensures consistency over time and prevents competitors trying to copy ideas; and
  • Make sure the campaign is easy to understand and not overly cerebral: For instance, we know that vignette-style advertising does not work in our country and, similarly, neither does overly complex messaging.
  • Make sure the campaign is distinctive and forward-looking, rather than a reworked version of something seen before: By focusing on insight pertaining to consumers, the category, and the broader landscape instead of competitor intelligence, it helps me to ensure the ideas are fresh and forward-looking.
  • Finally, it’s part analytical and part gut feel: Information will certainly help to identify issues and insights, which will help optimise the strategy, but creatively it largely comes down to gut feel as to whether this is likely to have the desired effect or not.

What has been the most challenging campaign you have worked on? What made it so challenging?

The most challenging has definitely been Absolut’s upcoming campaign. I can’t share too much about it, but consumers can expect it to launch in September. The campaign will evolve the current narrative, whilst again breaking the rules established within the industry, and, of course, remaining true to the brand.

The challenge stems from a number of sides, namely:

  • Stakeholder complexity: Getting approval from local management, regional management, and brand management;
  • Massive human resource requirements: This has forced me to rethink how I can optimally utilise limited resources within the organisation;
  • New revenue streams: The business has not figured out how to cope with them yet; and
  • Some daring initiatives that could land us in a bit of trouble, but I believe that if that is not the case, we haven’t pushed hard enough!

For more information, visit www.pernod-ricard.co.za

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Marketing alcoholic beverages comes with its own set of complications, as many new beverages are created, not for their taste, but for their status appeal. Read more in our article, How the wine industry sells: affirming the buyer experience and brand positioning.