Malibu campaign to target 18-24 year olds

Pernod Ricard is to launch a UK-specific campaign for its rum brand, Malibu.

The experiential-led campaign will aim to increase the drink’s popularity among 18-24 year olds.

A series of ‘Mish Mash’ events will be held at 70 student union bars and 170 other pubs across the country, supported by 10 recently-recruited ‘student brand ambassadors’.

Each event will “emphasise the playful and vibrant Caribbean spirit” of the brand, while also seeking to spread a new dance craze.

Next month will see the first of two major regional events held at Club W in Wandsworth, London. The DJ line-up includes MC Normski, Jaguar Skills and British rapper Example. In a bid to showcase the drink’s versatility, new cocktails, created by consumers, will also be on offer.

Running alongside the events will be a digital and broadcast element, via a partnership with Kiss FM, promoting ‘Malibu Mish Mash’ to over one million target consumers. The radio station is synonymous with urban dance music.

The campaign will run until Spring 2010, during which time over 100,000 of the target audience would have been “touched by a Malibu Mish Mash experience”.

Patrick Venning, head of marketing for Malibu at Pernod Ricard UK, said the campaign would also help drive footfall in the on-trade in the crucial run up to Christmas

Malibu is one of a number of brands identified by Pernod Ricard UK as key to the UK market; others include Absolut, Campo Viejo and Jameson.
Absolut recently signed an “artistic partnership” with US film director Spike Jonze as the company looks to make creativity the core of some of its brands. The Jameson brand also received an advertising push recently.

Pernod Ricard now represents 91 million cases of spirits and 25 million cases of wine, and owns 19 of the world’s top 100 brands.