We all know that having a brand representative barge into a bar to put on a show could be perceived as tacky, especially by UK consumers. But having recently worked on the Captain Morgan's relaunch, I’ve experienced something totally different and really quite impactful.RPM’s job has been to reposition ‘The Captain’ in the UK as the face of the brand. He’s always been there, yet consumers have never experienced him directly. So, the best way for them to associate The Captain with a captivating drinking experience was through equally captivating on-trade activations. It was important for us to recruit a Captain who encapsulated the spirit of the brand, which has up until now been led by the Global Brand Ambassador.
We needed to find six to eight Captains to run the campaign across the whole of the UK and have written his character type, the script and looked at the promotional campaign that then tours with them. We created a new look and feel, supported by POS, and helped relaunch Captain Morgan's Spiced in the UK.
In Europe, Diageo has had massive success by caricaturing The Captain as a party leader who then infiltrates bars for half an hour, hitting them all with samples and leaving them with that party spirit still riding high.
The J&B Mirror Man is another example of an effective on-trade activation. An arguably challenging idea at first, yet once you see and experience him in a bar environment - when the music blares out and he starts dancing - the bar totally transforms. Suddenly, everyone is drinking your product, taking photos and dancing on tables. He has a 30-minute impact and leaves drinkers with a wave of energy. It cleverly utilises high impact within a short time frame and has a lasting impact on consumers who begin associating your brand with an exciting, unique drinking experience.
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