Jägermeister moves into radio but vows to ‘engage, not broadcast’

Jägermeister has partnered with Soho Radio in a bid to reach more than 100 million consumers.

Jäger Soho will be based in central London and forms part of the brand’s latest move in its JägerMusic Programme, which supports emerging and established artists.

The partnership is set to reach over 100 million consumers via the radio station’s listeners and Jägermeister UK’s amplification channels. It claims the partnership was a “perfect fit”, as both players are eager to promote “grass roots music” and have an “entrepreneurial” spirit.

The alcohol brand has previously launched JägerHaus, which takes place at various festivals in the UK every year and sees emerging artists perform on its stage.

“We looked at how we can amplify our music through other touch points, and preferably those we hadn’t dabbled with before – so we went with radio,” its marketing director Nicole Goodwin tells Marketing Week.

Jäger Soho will host over 50 events throughout the year including cocktail masterclasses and tasting sessions, and will also record live sets from upcoming bands and cut them straight to vinyl as part of ‘The Vinyl Sessions’. It will also be offering two-month residencies to start-up brands spanning art, fashion and lifestyle, and help publicise and promote them.

“We want to build our music credentials even more. It also provides a space to host customers, journalists, and provide training sessions to trade partners. A lot of KPIs fit within it, including our brand image and brand amplification,” she explains.

“We are seen as an edgy brand by consumers. But they are becoming more diverse, and so we want to engage with them in a cool way and engage with them rather than just broadcast to them.”

When asked how the brand is ensuring its activity will cut through and whether it’s more than just a gimmick, Goodwin insists that music is not “a gimmick but part of its brand DNA” and that the brand is very much taking a long-term view when it comes to the project.

She concludes: “We have strong credentials, as we’ve been involved with music since 2003. We’re very much thinking long term. When we invest in something, we will go for three to four years. It’s not a one off.”