Legacy brands in Nigeria’s alcoholic beverage market
By Felicia Nwosu
The Nigerian alcoholic beverage market has come a long way, sustained by a tradition of generational consumption. In the quest to remain relevant to all generations, major players in the market have re-invented and re-strategised with various marketing tools to remain relevant to every generation of consumers.
Nigeria’s alcoholic beverage market cuts across different segments and categories such as beer, vodka, whiskey, rum, cognac and wine. As competition gets stiffer, coupled with global economic downturn, many have thrown in the towel while others, through the infusion of various brand building strategies and innovation, soldier on.
Based on MARKETING EDGE intelligence, below are some of the champions who have distinguished themselves as legacy brands in the Nigerian alcoholic beverage market.
Guinness Extra Stout
As the stout with the highest standards of integrity, Guinness Extra Stout from the stable of Guinness Nigeria has realized that consumers can trust its brand promise. This is why the premium stout has consistently looked for a smarter way of innovating in order to integrate its entire ever-evolving consumer base. Since it registered its presence in Nigeria in 1962, Guinness Extra Stout has remained passionate about each consumer by leveraging its curiosity and consumer insights to drive engagement and abolish generational gap among consumers. Understanding the differences in consumers has helped the brand to look beyond profit making by priortising consumer satisfaction and ensuring that they are happy by celebrating life every day, everywhere while encouraging them to be creative and courageous in pursuing their full potential.
Hennessy
This century-old brand is the leader in Cognac, and has demonstrated its quality in taste and texture around the world with exceptional blends for more than 250 years. Built on founder Richard Hennessy’s spirit of conquest, the brand is present in more than 130 countries. Being the first spirits house to be certified ISO 14001, Hennessy has recorded a milestone transition in its journey of commitment to deliver exceptional cognac to Nigeria, and a craftsmanship that transcends borders and unites cultures. Its success and longevity are rooted in the excellence of its cognacs, each of which is born of a unique process of transmission from generation to generation while creating a magical consumer experience within the spirits category.
Star
Star Lager beer stands proudly tall as the oldest and father of all lager beers in Nigeria. This was the first beer to tread on Nigeria’s soil before its independence and also the country’s NO.1 beer that has shined radiantly for almost a century. Star is the brand that understands Nigeria’s history and followed the history to fit into its consumer needs perfectly. Nigerian Breweries became the beer frontier in 1949 by executing the launch of Star lager beer into the virgin beer market in colonial Nigeria. This sparkling bubbling brand has lived up to its name as a star by jumping so many hurdles even after many decades of its journey and still continues to make new waves despite its age.
‘Shine-shine Bobo, as it was popularly known by its teeming consumers, has learnt that brands are ephemeral, but continuous grooming can make it eternal to stand tall as a legacy brand. As an aged brand with older consumers, the brand has also pacified the younger generation by integrating them into its fold for them to enjoy the brighter side of life with the extension of its product line with the introduction of Star Lite and Star Raddler. This is a remarkable feat to sustain and retain its legacy identity.
Heineken
Since its sojourn into Nigeria as a global premium brand in 1946, Heineken has continued to reign and is known as the chairman and champion of the game which no doubt, has revered it as a legacy brand. Its re-invention and marketing strategies are new every moment in the minds of its consumers, which has helped it in staying ahead of the curve.
It was started by a renowned brewer, Nigerian Breweries, whose equity trajectory has placed Heineken as the brand with royalty, class and prestige. In the history of brand consumer engagement, Heineken continues to rule by stimulating both old and younger consumers touch-points and need points through the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour which has also remained its driving force in remaining at the top-mind of consumers while creating an effective brand acceptance, awareness and visibility.
Gulder
Birthed in 1970, Guilder is the lager beer with a huge aura of masculine personality and presence, “The Ultimate in Beer”. The beer brand with a heroic and courageous embodiment has created a strong bond with consumers through its reality show, Gulder Ultimate Search, which was introduced to connect with consumers in a much more appealing format.
Trophy
Trophy lager beer, the beer brand that recognizes the majestic embodiment of it consumers as honourable people, which is why it simply addresses them as honorable Omoluabi (man of honour).This special recognition creates an aura of importance invoking and triggering the passion and charisma respect, majestic, class and value in the minds of consumers.
With a strong and notable presence in Southwestern Nigeria by International Breweries in 1978 with the launch of Trophy lager, just like its counterpart, Life beer, it has risen from its humble beginning to international stardom by becoming the No1 selling beer in Nigeria.
In the bid to become everything to everybody, it has undertaken a smart move with the introduction of Trophy 500ml disposable can which was different from what competitors had in the market. It gained traction especially during the festive period as it offers a very close quantity to what obtains in the bottle pack sizes.
33 Export
33 Export Lager, in its journey of more than four decades, has always valued and cherished friendship as a golden and priceless bond that drives optimisation of goals and celebration of one another through togetherness and unity. This premium quality lager beer made its entry into the Nigerian market in 1979 and since then, has not rested its oars in unifying both the old and the young irrespective of class or ethnic group.
33 Export has demonstrated its consumer-centric nature by identifying with the daily struggles of its consumers which stands as barriers to enjoying friendship and relationship with others. in the fast-paced cities.“33” Export therefore, provides consumers with new opportunities to nurture these relationships through its array of activations and concerts.
Life
Life beer, the mouthpiece and praise-singer of Eastern success and progress, has gradually emblazoned itself as the advocate that pushes the frontiers of progress in all ramifications as with Mmanya Oganiru, which means beer for progress. Nduka,(Life is important) as it is popularly called, has ignited various endearing campaigns that has subtly infused today’s generation into its rhythm while inspiring the younger generation to engage in legitimate ventures that they will be proud to bring the glory back home .Its dedication to the Igbo values of industrious, resourcefulness and enterprise- values which exemplifies the typical Igbo man has become the glue and touch-point that stick the brand together with its teeming and loyal consumers since 1983.
Seaman’s Aromatic Schnapps
Seaman’s Aromatic Schnapps has gone beyond just a legacy brand, as it is believed to be a strong medium for the elderly in communicating with their ancestors and standing in gap as living legends through libation.
This ancient brand known as the original hot drink and number one prayer drink, takes pride in promoting and celebrating communal success amongst clansmen or kinsmen. Its personality and identity as orchestrated by Oak since its birth in 1985 have continued to soar on the wings of cultural festivals, while amplifying the role of libation during weddings, naming, coronations, and other forms of traditional celebration in the Nigerian setting. Seaman’s has excelled in taste, having introduced some innovations, by providing handy sachets but it also needs to reposition itself as a social drink blended with other flavours.
Chelsea dry gin
Chelsea dry gin, the gin with the Naija spirit, which is exemplified in its resilience and strength, is always reinventing itself to stay aglow. This unique dry gin has continued to exhibit its prowess as the strongest warrior having taken charge in the dry gin segment of the Nigerian market, and surviving various attacks from numerous new entrants who penetrated into the market as competitors. To remain on top of the game, it has made several efforts to interface both the old and new consumers through its campaigns involving tours across various cities. This was demonstrated when it recently got a new look for all its pack size and launched a communication campaign, ‘The King Has A New Crown’ to communicate its new outlook. All these value creation has helped the brand stay alive in the mind of all its consumers. Chelsea dry gin came on board in 1984, on a manual production line.
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