The Tasting Panel magazine

july 2009 / the tasting panel / 31 and executed by some of the best people in the busi- ness. THE TASTING PANEL goes inside Pernod Ricard to discover the core brands and show what keeps this company on the track to success. ABSOLUT VODKA: Beyond the Ad Campaign There's no doubt that the acquisition of Absolut vodka last year gave Pernod Ricard big-stick leverage both on- and off-premise, but for Pernod Ricard, it's not just about large numbers. "Sure, we have the size," remarks Steve Walkerwicz, VP, On-Premise Customer Marketing,"but our focus is now to educate the trade and focus on the fact that there's a very high-quality product in the bottle as well." Created more than a hundred years ago by Lars Olsson Smith—whose likeness is found on the medallion of every bottle—and still made from raw materials stemming from a single source in Åhus, Sweden, Absolut is now the third-largest international spirits brand in the world. The water for this winter wheat–based spirit is drawn from a deep aquifer via Absolut's own well. Continuous distil- lation results in an ultra-pure vodka with a distinct grain character. Even with a product of this high quality and immense brand recognition, Pernod Ricard is fi nding ways to enhance Absolut's solid position at the super-premium level. Having acquired the brand less than a year ago, the company is fi nishing up a transition period, tweaking pricing, positioning and in-store execution to make sure Absolut stays front-and-center with both buyers and the end consumer. "We're on a quick learning curve with Absolut," re- marks Whitney Repp, Division Marketing Director, East, "but it's fair to say that we haven't skipped a beat. We're on a mission, and we're off to a great start." "Absolut is our biggest brand; it represents about 35 percent of my business," notes Eric Dopkins, General Manager, Western Division. "And of course, vodka is the largest category, so it's a major priority with us." With no pun intended, Dopkins can state that for Pernod Ricard, "Absolut is an absolute priority." Jameson Irish Whiskey: Fueling the Category "Jameson is on fi re," remarks Eric Dopkins, "and Irish whiskey as a category over the last 52 weeks in California specifi cally is up 25 percent. We're seeing similar trends across the country." Indeed, Irish whiskey is the fastest-growing spirits category in the U.S. market, and Jameson accounts for two-thirds of sales in the category. "Our marketing sup- port is getting the Jameson brand front and center across a larger consumer audience," says Walkerwicz, "but one of the beautiful things about Jameson as a brand is that it was adopted by, and has become a cult among, bartend- ers. It has an incredible loyalty factor that's been a big driver for this brand." Jameson has strong historic ties to Dublin, where it was originally created by John Jameson in Bow Street in 1770, and where Pernod Ricard maintains a popular visitor cen- ter at the Old Jameson Distillery. But the triple-distilled Irish whiskey is now made at the modern Midleton Single Distillery in County Cork, a facility that has no problem meeting worldwide demand for Ireland's best-selling spirit. As with Absolut, however, size doesn't mean com- promise for Jameson. True to the founder's original vision for his whiskey, Jameson is still made in pot stills using only malted and unmalted barley and pure water, and is aged in only the fi nest select barrels. "Jameson is truly a phenomenon, a delight to market and to sell," says Whitney Repp. The adoption of Jameson by some of today's most trend-setting bartenders certain- ly adds momentum to what is already a dynamic brand: "They do a lot of missionary work for us," says Repp, "which is a tremendous third-party endorsement of the quality of the product." Repp notes that most bar patrons fi rst order Jameson as a shot. "However," he adds, "we do also promote it in mixed drinks—specifi cally Jameson and Coke or Jameson and ginger ale—as a means of recruiting new consumers into the franchise." But as Dopkins notes, with is mixabil- ity and its reach-out appeal to scotch drinkers, "Jameson crosses categories and transcends consumer demograph- ics as well, hitting the LDA-to-29 group as well as 30- plus." Just this year, California surpassed New York as the top market for Jameson. PHOTO BY MIKE MAGDA Pernod Ricard's brand strategies help keep Jameson cruising on-premise. Note its position- ing here alongside North American whiskeys (instead of on the blended scotch shelf).

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