Brands
Bacardi’s survival ingredient: Localisation
MUMBAI: Localisation is the key factor to survive, today. As more and more brands, channels and groups enter different markets in the globalised world, they need to adapt according to the local flavour.
The reason behind it is simple: give people what they can easily relate to.
And keeping this in mind, Bacardi has launched two falvours for the Indian palate – Aam Panna and Nimbu Paani – for its low-alcohol ready-to-drink brand, Breezer.
The company which believes in leading the way in innovation; be it in product formulation, packaging or creation of unique concepts and brand properties, with Breezer Indi Mix, it continues the trend. This also makes it the first example of a global spirits brand introducing local flavours in India. “Indi Mix was created based on our research which showed that Indian consumers love our current flavour range but at the same time are also keenly interested in new variants based on familiar flavours. Aam Panna and Nimbu Paani are well-known and well-loved coolers which tap into consumer experiences and memories, and therefore, we have chosen them as the first two flavours,” says director sales & marketing Manish Seth while elaborating that it will continue to innovate and beguile the customers by launching unique properties and flavours.
India is among the key emerging markets for the company and is going to be an important source of volume growth in the coming years. By 2020, India will have the youngest population in the world with an average age of 29. Low per capita consumption compared to other countries is also expected to help. According to IWSR India is also the third fastest-growing market for international brands.
The two new flavours are currently available across Haryana, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Goa and Karnataka. Rest of the cities can expect to have these summer coolers available very soon with another eight locations launching in the coming month.
Apart from this, to mix with its TG, the company which recently introduced ‘BACARDI Untamable Since 1862’, a massive global identity shift, a tribute to Bacardi’s remarkable history hailing across 152 years, will integrate with its flagship musical property Bacardi NH7 Weekender.
Recently, it also tied up with MTV in conjunction with the launch of MTV Splitsvilla. “We look forward to announcing exciting activations across India as well unique digital innovations this year. We will also be releasing the new series of the cult brand property ‘The Dewarists’ as well as hosting season 3 of Grey Goose Style Du Jour (India’s only style forecasting event),” says Seth adding that digital marketing for Bacardi remains to be the staple feature across all properties.
As per various media reports, Bacardi enjoys 97 per cent monopoly in the low alcohol RTD. Many came and went. Take United Breweries’ Shotz and Cruiser, for instance, launched a decade back got a tepid response from the 2.5 million sized market and hence, had to be withdrawn.
This only proves the old-ad adage, when in Rome, do what the Romans do!
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
