Bacardi-Martini is putting £12m into a clubbing-themed
marketing campaign for its core Bacardi rum brand, as it looks to eat
into vodka's dominance among 18- to 25-year-old drinkers in the white
spirits category.
The activity will feature footballer-turned-actor Vinnie Jones. The
first of four executions, a 60-second ad called 'Ice', airs from this
Friday in cinemas and on TV.
Set to a dance music soundtrack, the ad finds Jones at the mercy of a
runaway block of ice, which savages his speedboat before smashing into a
crowded house party. It will be followed by two 20-second ads and a
ten-second ad with the same theme. Creative is by McCann-Erickson, with
media by Universal McCann.
Bacardi's last major TV campaign, in 1999, targeted male drinkers with
an ad showing a Cuban boxing match.
Bacardi has also sealed an exclusive sponsorship deal with Ministry of
Sound's radio station, which launches next month at 87.7FM. The brand
will feature on Ministry of Sound music releases and in its tenth
birthday celebrations later this year.
Press ads and branded regional club night listings will appear in the
club's magazine and entertainment guides. A web site,
www.latinquarter.com, will feature a database of dance venues.
Bacardi is also linking with Capital FM and its regional associates for
a promotion that will see a listener become a celebrity and showbusiness
reporter called 'The Bacardi VIP', picked by other listeners.
According to Mintel, vodka dominates the white spirits sector, but the
market for white rum is growing, mainly driven by Bacardi. Sales of
white rum grew 8.9% between 1996 and 2000 to £317m.
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