Repositioning a Global Whisky Brand in a Highly Traditional Market
Client
Grant’s Whisky
Role
Executive Account Director – Marketing
(Strategy and execution)
Contex
In 2007, Grant’s Whisky had low brand awareness and market share in Colombia’s spirits market, dominated by well-established whisky brands and culturally rooted beverages such as beer and aguardiente.
The challenge was not mass visibility, but premium positioning, achieved through precise audience targeting and efficient use of budget.
Challenge
- Position a lesser-known international whisky against dominant competitors.
- Identify and reach the true whisky consumer in Colombia.
- Avoid ineffective mass advertising.
- Drive sales during peak consumption seasons.
Misaligned media investment would have resulted in direct revenue loss.
Strategy
I developed a premium segmentation and cultural localization strategy, based on:
- Deep analysis of the Colombian whisky consumer.
- Strategic budget allocation in high-consumption cities.
- Seasonal planning aligned with local festivals.
- Selection of high-affinity channels: premium magazines, corporate-area billboards, and digital video.
- Media relations through an exclusive educational whisky-tasting event for journalists.
The strategy deliberately avoided mass advertising, prioritizing context, quality, and relevance.
Execution
- Print advertising in premium publications.
- Strategic outdoor advertising in key urban areas.
- Experiential press event focused on brand education.
- Cultural and linguistic adaptation of global campaign assets.
- YouTube video ad localization.
- Close coordination with local sales teams and U.S.-based brand representatives.
Impact
- Increased brand visibility during major national festivals.
- Stronger premium positioning within the whisky category.
- Consistent global brand narrative with effective local execution.
- Valuable insights into cultural market penetration strategies.
Expertise: Content Strategy · Communications · Marketing · Digital Content · Audio/Video
