Shelf Life: The nexus of potstill brandy

Louise Marsland (@Louise_Marsland)’s weekly pick of recent product, packaging and design launches:

• KWV makes bold brand statement with new launches
• Waterfront Radisson refreshes
• Coke Light supports breast cancer awareness, and
• Printstagram hopes to make your Christmas list.

SA’s first Cognac launches

South Africa’s first Cognac has been launched by KWV in a significant brand positioning for the brandy distiller. Last week, KWV unveiled KWV Heritage XO Cognac, the first to be produced under a South African brand name, as well as 30-year-old KWV Nexus, the world’s first commercially available brand containing potstill up to 42 years old. The name Nexus was chosen to represent the pinnacle of the KWV brand journey.

For KWV’s XO Cognac, KWV formed a collaborative partnership with the French House of Maison Charpentier and developed KWV Héritage XO, created by KWV’s award-winning master distiller, Pieter de Bod, who developed the blend in his brandy cellar in Paarl.

KWV’s marketing director, Peadar Hegarty, explains that KWV is challenging the conventions of the industry with these two additions to its luxury product range.

“Cognac can only be produced in Western France and verification of its authenticity is taken very seriously, protected by an ‘origin appellation’, meaning that in order for the blend to qualify as a cognac, grapes must be sourced and the product must be bottled and matured in the Cognac region in France.”

De Bod describes the KWV XO as rich amber in colour, conjuring up fruity flavours of litchi, cinnamon and fruitcake on the nose, with notes of citrus, mocha and roasted coffee.

And how’s this for a price tag? The KWV Nexus potstill brandy retails at R23 000 for those who want to round off special occasions…

The KWV Nexus 30-year old is described as an exceptional potstill brandy, handcrafted in small batches at the world-renowned KWV cellars in Paarl, using a blend ranging in age from 30 to 42 years old.

This special product has special packaging to match: the hand-blown bottle orb was crafted by glass artist, David Reade. And each individually crafted bottle is sealed with a handmade Baltic Amber stone — a gem with origins that can be traced to tree resins going back some 50 million years — set in copper by award-winning jewellery designer, Maike Valcarcel.

Then there is the handcrafted wooden outer casing, which Hegarty says illustrates KWV’s culmination of a journey of “unsurpassed craft, patience and attention to detail”: “We chose unconventional packaging, as we wanted to showcase the beautiful bottle and the use of all natural products, put together by these artisans, fits beautifully with our ’Finish Great’ philosophy. From vine to glass, this precious blend is the proud fulfilment of an incredible brandy-making odyssey that represents our master craftsmen at their very best.”

Radisson Waterfront revamp

The Radisson Blu Hotel at the Cape Town Waterfront has undergone a R10m revamp over the winter months, including new meetings and events facilities. The hotel, which is at the water’s edge next to the marina, has some of the best views in the city, and was voted Africa’s Leading Conference Hotel in the 2014 World Travel Awards.

The newly launched meetings and events facilities can hold up to 300 delegates, as well as 180 guests for gala dining. There’s a Captain’s Boardroom with views of the marina for more intimate meetings for up to 12 delegates.

Each of the 177 rooms was updated with the latest technology in televisions and new amenities. Soft refurbishments also took place in the dining area, the Tobago restaurant; the West Atrium; the Amani African Spa; hotel reception and public areas.

“The upgrade to the Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront is a natural step on our journey towards enhanced excellence. With our constant development to the property, we promise to deliver our brand ethos and ‘Yes I Can!’ philosophy,” says GM, Debra Siversten.

In the pink

For Breast Cancer Month in October 2014, Coca-Cola South Africa partnered with Makro in support of PinkDrive, producing pink product for the month. The objective is to raise R200 000 for the charity. Additional partners include ABI, Coca-Cola Fortune, Coca-Cola Shanduka Beverages and Peninsula Beverages.

Coca-Cola has created specially designed six-pack cans of Coca-Cola Light, wrapped in pink packaging, and donated R2 for every pack sold to PinkDrive, a breast-cancer-awareness NGO powering SA´s first mobile PinkDrive Mammography Unit and the PinkDrive Educational Unit.

“Through our mobile clinics, we not only aim to bring testing centres to communities, but also educate women on the disease,” says Noelene Kotschan, founder and CEO of PinkDrive.

The campaign, which started mid-October, will run until the R200 000 target has been reached. The aim is to not only raise funds for PinkDrive, but to encourage women to learn more about breast cancer and the importance of early detection.

Print memories in time

Another one in time for Christmas is the personalised Printstagram wall clock. It’s targeting happy families, plus hoping businesses will also use them for client gifts.

Printstagram wants to inspire individuals and businesses to create their own photographic memories on a wide range of products, with the brushed aluminium clock as its new offering for this festive season.

“Our online design software and our services make it easy for anyone to create beautiful custom-designed gifts… Our wall clocks are something new and different,” comments Tandi Potgieter, Printstagram MD.

I can see how it might be nice to have my daughter’s pic on a clock in my office (she’s super cut) and maybe your client would like its logo or a pic of its new corporate office? Can’t really see many other corporate uses, though; it strikes me that the best target market would be grandparents — they’re the poor suckers who usually get stuck with blurry pix of their grandchildren on cups, T-shirts, even shopping bags, and feel morally obligated to use them.

 

Shelf Life is a weekly column by Louise Marsland on MarkLives. Tweet new product, packaging and design launches to @louise_marsland or email her at louise.marsland at gmail.com. Want to sponsor Shelf Life? Contact us here.

Louise has written about the FMCG, media, marketing and advertising industry for 20 years as a former editor of magazines AdVantage, Marketing Mix and Progressive Retailing, as well as websites Bizcommunity.com and FMCGFiles. She also edited the weekly Wednesday Media & Marketing Page for The New Age newspaper. She is currently the publishing editor of industry trendwatching portal, TRENDAFRiCA, for consumer insight, research and trends in Africa; a regular industry columnist and speaker; a consultant on content strategy; and contributing editor to Fast Company South Africa magazine, which has just launched in South Africa.

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