Angostura taps into Jamaican heritage
Its core markets in southern Europe may have suffered in recent times, but Angostura rum has a busy year ahead for 2011. For starters there’s its latest global advertising creative. This revolves around the theme of “pure Trinidadian rum”, and aims to tap into a love of provenance by using only distillery staff in the advertising.
“We’re focusing really on the authenticity and heritage of the brand, and also the fact that our rum comes from one distillery on one island,” says Brian Woods, senior marketing manager, global rum, for Angostura. “It’s very much about the purity of the product coming from one place.”
The brand’s product range – Reserva (white), 5 and 7 Year Olds, 1919 and 1824 – will undergo the merest of tinkerings in the early part of next year, which includes introducing a one-litre pack for the European on trade and duty free.
But a new 75cl bottle signals an altogether bigger initiative: a US launch, slated for the first quarter of 2011. Initially the main emphasis will be on the “obviously attractive” targets of New York, Miami and San Francisco.
“We’re not naive enough to think that we can go and take on the whole US market,” admits Woods. “We’re adopting a very focused, state-by-state approach.”
The company is also working on a bespoke new decanter to package its super-premium 1919 and 1824 bottlings, with a new ultra-premium rum due to launch towards the end of 2011. Woods won’t say much about this, but confirms that it will be “significantly above” 1824 and 1919.
Meantime the Angostura master distiller John Georges has started an educational tour of Europe. It kicked off in Glasgow, where mixologists gathered at the Corinthian Bar and Casino, to get tips on mixing classic cocktails with a twist. Other ports of call include St Petersburgh, Moscow, Athens, Stockholm, Frankfurt, Dublin and Milan.
