New Delhi : In a spirited effort to get around the ban on liquor advertising, domestic liquor major United Breweries plans to use mnemonics to promote its brands. ``Initially, we will use mnemonics to promote two key brands, No.1 McDowell Whisky and McDowell's Signature Rare Whisky,'' McDowell & Co executive vice-president, marketing, Mr Ashwin Malik told The Financial Express.The mnemonic to be associated with the No.1 whisky brand is `the finger of friendship' while the Signature whisky will be promoted by an artistic `S' sign, he added.
Taking inspiration from the success of Nike's `swoosh' mnemonic, McDowell, which was aggressively advertising its two brands in the electronic media until September 2000, now plans to squeeze the last drop of mileage from its brands' recall value through the mnemonic route.
The company will promote the two mnemonics in the Capital through clubs and institutional sales as the local liquor policy does not allow brand promotion directly to retail customers. "It may take time but the mnemonics would be able to establish the products in the minds of the customers in the long run," Mr Malik said.
The brand promotion of Signature had already started in other parts of the country and has just been launched in the Capital. ``The campaign to launch the mnemonic for No. 1 is already planned and will hit the market soon,'' McDowell assistant vice-president Mr Alok Gupta said.
In order to promote Signature whisky and ensure high recall value, the company plans to distribute gifts-like tote bags and coffee mugs-which bear the sign prominently, to target consumers. The re-launch of Signature whisky is significant in the light of Delhi government's recent notification, ordering Shaw Wallace to reduce the price of its premium whisky Royal Challenge in Delhi. According to market sources, the company has withdrawn Royal Challenge from the market after the state government's decision. The move has given an edge to the UB Group to push its Signature brand in the market aggressively. The monthly sales of Royal Challenge whisky in Delhi was approximately 7,500 cases.
The company has re-launched Signature whisky in the market by reducing its price by 25-30 per cent, shifting the product profile from super premium category to premium category in order to face the post- quantitative restriction era. According to Mr Malik, "Signature Rare whisky was initially launched in the premium-plus category to provide consumers with a quality alternative to spurious Scotch, which was available in the market. But with the availability of genuine bottled Scotch in India, we have repositioned the brand in the premium segment."
Copyright © 2001 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
