Pernod Ricard launches first corporate brand campaign

Pernod Ricard has launched its first major global corporate campaign, encouraging people to put down their smartphones and exercise more “conviviality” in a hyper-connected world where so much time and attention is centred around screens.

But this is more than just a simple marketing campaign, Pernod Ricard says. It wants to create “community of convivial people” – something people can value and be a part of for many years to come.

“It’s not a new vision for Pernod Ricard but it’s the first time we’ve externalised our corporate vision and DNA,” Pernod Ricard’s communications and corporate affairs director, Aurelie Kane, tells Marketing Week.

“What we’re doing with this new campaign is telling the world, our consumers, what we really stand for and what conviviality means.”

To bring the digital-only campaign, which goes live today (1 February), to life, Pernod Ricard has created a 10-minute documentary. ‘The Power of Conviviality’ features real people from all over the world sharing what conviviality means to them and the “universal need” these moments fulfill.

It is based on responses from a global survey of 11,500 people in 11 countries, which found 61% believe the world is less friendly than five years ago and 77% admit to refusing to go out with friends because they wanted to stream a series or film at home.

Meanwhile, 67% of millennials said they “regret” meeting their friends less due to time spent on social networks, while 64% admit an addiction to technology, which they would like to curb, and 60% believe social networks make their friendships increasingly superficial.

While most of the work has been done in-house, Pernod Ricard has partnered exclusively with Vice to help promote the campaign globally – especially in its three main audiences in the UK, the US and China.

Somewhat ironically, the only country the French alcoholic drinks giant isn’t allowed to promote the campaign is in France, where legislation around alcohol is especially strict. This is in spite of the campaign not being about any of Pernod Ricard’s variety of alcohol brands or alcohol consumption, nor is its logo present in the video.

Pernod Ricard says it isn’t looking to directly boost sales with the campaign, hoping instead for a halo effect for the corporate brand. The aim is for that to boost its employer brand and help it attract new talent.

Kane explains: “Reaching consumers is also reaching potential employees. There’s always room for improvement in everything but we’ve got a positive record of the meaning of conviviality internally.

“Actually leveraging this to reach potential employees and help explain what conviviality is and get an understanding of that before anyone comes and joins our business, yes [it is] absolutely [about attracting talent].”