Stolichnaya
Using radio to re-awaken awareness of a classic brand
Audio(.mp3)
Background
The primary issues for Stolichnaya were that brand name awareness was low as was correct pronunciation. As a challenger brand in the premium vodka market they needed to differentiate themselves from the market leader and position themselves as THE authentic Russian vodka.
Research showed that ‘provenance’ stories were not compelling enough to drive home their Russian heritage so the ‘Boldly Authentic’ proposition had to be brought to life in another, credible way.
Why radio?
As a spoken word medium radio was ideally suited to ensure the correct pronunciation of the brand name among consumers.
To connect with their primary audience of 25-35 males efficiently and effectively Stoli had to infiltrate places where their key audience were, namely gigs and live music events, something which is the heartland of Commercial Radio.
Radio furthermore avoids the cluttered environment of magazines where most premium drinks brands advertise, creating a disproportionately large share of voice for Stoli.
Implementation
The solution was to update and relaunch XFM’s unsigned website, Uploaded, making it fully interactive, while creating a search for the ‘authentic’ sound of London, Manchester and Glasgow within the station’s Music Response Show. An on-air feature showcased the best music which had been uploaded to xfm.co.uk by unsigned bands.
As part of the deal with XFM, Stolichnaya had a presence in small, credible music venues which featured the best unsigned bands.
Numerous other elements enhanced the partnership such as a Stoli/XFM microsite, vodcasts from the live sessions, bar guides and competitions in conjunction with third parties.
Results
Research highlighted that spontaneous awareness of Stolichnaya increased to 14% versus non-listeners at 3%, an impressive result for a brand of this nature.
Research highlighted that spontaneous awareness of Stolichnaya increased to 14% versus non-listeners at 3%, an impressive result for a brand of this nature.
Crucially 52% stated they would be more likely to consider Stolichnaya as a result of the sponsorship.
RAB Comment
By understanding the drivers of their target market and creating a solution that reflected those lifestyles and interests a very convincing partnership between brand and station was produced. This created standout from their competitors and achieved real results in key awareness and brand perception measures.
"Radio is a powerful medium for communicating a brand message, especially when the target market is quite narrow, as ours is, and you need to explain the brand name itself, a basic objective indeed. Awareness improved and we have started to create a buzz, and more importantly, relevance with a key target group for Stoli."
Graham Callard, Stolichnaya Brand Organisation (Part of the Pernod Ricard Group of Companies) Regional Director, Europe