BRAND STRATEGY, DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
PERNOD RICARD – INTRODUCING MARTELL’S CARACTÈRE INTO THE NIGERIAN COGNAC MARKET
Task
The Pernod Ricard team was ready to stake its claim in the Nigerian cognac market space with the introduction of Martell’s most recent cognac, Martell Caractère. However, there were established brands like Hennessy and Remy Martin playing heavily in the cognac market space.
We faced an urgent challenge : how to create a campaign that clearly set Martell apart from its competitors not just visually via its packaging but in a comprehensive manner encompassing its communication style and strategy while establishing it as a premium cognac brand.
Solution
To address the challenge, we opted to adopt a unique approach where we focused not just on the cognac, instead we made the cognac liquid the hero and the bottle its castle. We chose this direction because the Martell Caractère bottle is quite unique and different from other cognac bottles and we quickly identified it as a major selling point for the brand. The plan was, therefore, to create communication that showed off the beautiful gold color of Martell Caractère and the elegance of the bottle as a statement of depth and character.
Result
This campaign created enough buzz to arouse curiosity for the brand as a new entrant into the
Nigerian market. It also allowed, through the launch event, for trial and subsequent adoption for the target audience.
MTN TRADE PARTNERS/ DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL
Task
DDB was commissioned to carry out a strategy and business development reappraisal of MTN’s
trade and distribution ecosystem. An extensive process that took several months to conclude
it helped provide invaluable insights and new perspectives to tackling the problem leading to
increased revenue.
Solution
Following an extensive audit of the existing channel space, DDB Lagos, a member of the Casers Group, developed a bespoke and strategic telco distribution channel solutions called MTN BizLift. BizLift was designed to strengthen and transform the relationship between MTN and its street-level recharge card resellers. The channel development proposition was based on the 3E Strategy – Engage, Empower and Expand
Result
BizlIft helped provide a sustainable avenue for MTN to engage its multi-layered delivery points. Specifically, the programme helped achieve:
· Total increase in share of distribution value for the MTN Sales and Distribution team and an increase in revenue of N10 billion monthly in inventory sales.
· Economic empowerment and job creation within the distribution channels space with the registration of over 73,000 active BizLift members within the first year of its launch.
· Better retailer comprehension of the MTN brand and its specific offerings.
