Cheryl Hunter (shelflife at marklives.com)’s weekly pick of all things new in retail — consumer products launches, retail news and FMCG campaigns!
- Foodies love winter
- Go 4th and connect
- Consumers drive whiskey imports
Rhodes Quality drives choice with Zola
Rhodes Quality foods has partnered with Zola Nene, South Africans celebrity chef and food stylist to launch its “For the Love of Winter” campaign for driving brand awareness, relevance and choice.
According to Tamara Patel, Rhodes Quality marketing manager, the campaign is an extension of the overall brand strategy, which talks to the real emotional connection that people have with food: “By leveraging the brand platform, we are able to translate this into different food occasions and bring these occasions to life in an engaging way that is meaningful to our audience.”
Conceptualised by Saatchi & Saatchi, the new campaign asks consumers to share their Rhodes Quality recipes and photos using a hashtag — and entrants stand the chance to win weekly cash prizes and potentially go into the draw for the grand prize and the opportunity to have Nene cook their recipe, if chosen.
Nene was chosen as a partner to drive engagement and gain wider reach: “Zola’s approach to cooking fits the brand perfectly, and being able to leverage her knowledge of styling and simple tips for consumers gives us the opportunity to give our audience advice and simple recipes that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Using Zola, we will share recipes that are hearty and wholesome with good quality ingredients that don’t break the budget.”
South Africans may access recipes developed by Nene specifically for winter, as well as how-to tutorial videos to make their food Insta-worth during July and August 2018, and will see one lucky R100 000 grand prize winner and weekly winners of R5 000 each.
rhodesquality.co.za • Facebook • Instagram
saatchi.co.za • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Ramify
Singh & Sons connect 4th Street Wines
Voted as the fastest-growing wine brand globally by the International Wine and Spirit Research (IWSR) Top 100 Wine Brands for 2017, 4th Street Wines has launched a new TVC to emphasise its brand positioning, Go 4th and Connect. The aim is to encourage a new generation of wine drinkers to spontaneously connect with each other.
https://youtu.be/kXoLAk-oOFM
Created by Singh & Sons and directed by Mfundo Mkize of Ola! Films, the TVC portrays a day and night in the life of a young man who has no plans but. through a series of unplanned connections, he and his newfound friends end up having a fun night out and meeting new people along the way. The TVC is shot in reverse, revealing how it all started with an invitation over a bottle of 4th Street Wine — at the end of the commercial.
Dè-Mari Shaw, 4th Street brand strategy manager, says: “With the new TVC, we hope to connect to our youthful, upbeat, urban consumer even further. We’ve attempted to showcase a 4th Street world that is relevant to a new generation of wine drinkers, who aspire to the sophistication of wine, without its daunting complexity, and who prioritise friends and fun.”
The commercial was shot in various locations in downtown Johannesburg, with a cast that represents the modern generation of wine drinkers and fashionable 4th Street consumers.
Roger Paulse, Singh & Sons executive creative director, says: “Shooting the ad in reverse required precise planning and clear storytelling. Ola! Films made sure that what could have been a purely technical exercise was an interesting, entertaining and understandable commercial.”
4thstreet.co.za • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram
singhandsons.co.za
olafilms.tv • Facebook • Instagram
US whiskey imports surge
According to the trade association Distilled Spirits Council of the US, American whiskey imports to South Africa grew by more than 17% from 2016 to 2017, and from US$8.9m to over US$10.5m last year.
The growth was in line with an upward trend on all American distilled spirits imported to SA over the past year.
With the top five markets for US spirits still the UK, Germany, Brazil, France and Spain, American whiskey exporters are showing new interest in SA as an export destination. The key export growth drivers for US spirits are Tennessee Whiskey and Bourbon, particularly in the premium and super premium categories, while the more-specialised American rye whiskey is also starting to show strong growth.
Christine LoCascio, Distilled Spirits Council SVP international issues and trade, says: “Consumer tastes for premium American spirits and favorable exchange rates are supporting global sales, particularly as American whiskeys are driving the fast-growing cocktail market. International adult consumers are also exploring more expensive US spirits, driven by their fascination with American whiskey’s heritage and its versatility in cocktails.”
distilledspiritsusa.co.za • Facebook • Twitter
Shelf Life is MarkLives.com’s weekly column covering all things retail. Notify us of yours at shelflife at marklives dot com. Want to sponsor Shelf Life? Contact us here.
Cheryl Hunter (@cherylhunter) has written for the South African media, marketing and advertising industries for more than 15 years. A former editor of M&M in Independent Newspapers and contributor to Bizcommunity, AdFocus, AdReview and the Ad Annual, she has also produced for various television networks and currently consults on communication strategy and media liaison.
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