Rekorderlig on its transition from cider to cocktails and why cheap prices ‘destroy’ brands
Having recently launched a new cider-based cocktail line, Rekorderlig claims the move signifies a more experimental phase as it also advises alcohol brands not to risk damage by cutting prices too deeply.
To spread awareness of the can-based cocktail line, which adapts the main brand’s flavours into vodka and gin-infused cocktail variants, Rekorderlig will be running a pop-up festival over the next month.
Tapping into Sweden’s Midsommarstång celebrations, the experiential activity (that starts on June 25) will celebrate Rekorderlig’s unique Swedish heritage while also spreading awareness of the new cocktail line. The brand will take over various barge locations across London, including the Paddington Basin, as part of the activity and hand out samples.
“From the beginning it was very important for the brand not to be a follower,” explains Rekorderlig’s founder Anders Nanne. “You can’t try to be something you are not and we hope [the cocktail launch] shows we don’t jump on any bandwagons and can take a risk”.
“We want to get people to think differently about the flavour profile of cider.”
Rapid growth
In particular, Nanne hopes the cocktails can provide more premium options for the fast-growing brand and more options for its target audience of women in their mid 20’s.
Last July, Molson Coors acquired the exclusive rights in the on and off-trade to distribute, sell and market the full Rekorderlig portfolio across the UK market as the brewing giant aims to tap into a cider category that is projected to grow by over £1bn over the next three years.
And founder Nanne admits he never expected his brand to grow so quickly. “When me and my wife created the brand in 1995 we were just expecting to sell a couple of bottles in Sweden. She sketched the original logo on a piece of paper!”
Price cutting and going global
But although Rekorderlig’s growth has been “unexpected”, he says the brand can provide plenty of inspiration for startups. In particular, Nanne says new alcohol brands must steer clear from “dangerous” price cutting and promotions. “It’s always the easiest way to destroy a brand by selling it too cheap, too quickly”, he advises.
Nanne believes that marketers should prioritise passion over strategy in order to take a brand global. “I can teach someone to brew beer in ten minutes but if you aren’t passionate about the brand you can’t build a global brand,” he adds. “We have three words that are the most important thing to Rekorderlig, they are taste, taste and taste. It’s all about taste.”
