Innovative experiential marketing has helped Grey Goose drive sales of its luxury vodka brand. The firm activated an award-winning campaign that used a mixture of experiential marketing, PR and digital elements.
But what problems did the company have to overcome? And how did the brand achieve its aims? Jack Simpson of Econsultancy has highlighted some of the key factors that made the campaign so successful.
He noted that the main challenge of selling high-end vodka is that many people don’t consider the spirit a luxury product in the same way they do wine and whiskey. As such, Grey Goose had to alter how vodka was perceived among the public in order to justify its elevated price.
The brand, which is owned by Bacardi, decided to launch a French-style bakery that produced bread using the same wheat from which Grey Goose is made.
A three-day pop-up shop was launched in London, with the company targeting journalists and other influencers through luxury invites to the store accompanied by baskets of Grey Goose bread and jams. At the store, an authentic French baker provided information to patrons explaining the brand’s story.
“Bacardi set up a national partnership with Harvey Nichols, creating ‘Boulangerie Francois Terrasses’ in London, Manchester and Edinburgh – three-month outdoor pop-ups where people could order bespoke Grey Goose cocktails paired with French patisserie,” Mr Simpson added.
The result? Grey Goose experienced a substantial and long-lasting lift in vodka sales in cities where the brand activations took place. The scheme also won the Masters of Marketing Award for Best Luxury campaign.
It just goes to show how effective the right experiential marketing techniques can be for your brand!