More on the Glenmorangie "make-over"

According to a story in the August 7th Herald, the results of the Glenmorangie "extreme makeover" will be rolled out this coming October.

Included are some REALLY risky changes:

• They plan to reinvent themselves as a "luxury brand" and focus overseas.
• The Port, Sherry, Madeira and Burgundy Wood Finish whiskies will be relaunched under new names such as The Quinta Ruban, Nectar d'Or and LaSanta.
• The bottles have been redesigned and will look like "curvy cognac bottles", according to a company source.
• Rumors speak to plans to increase the price of a bottle of single malt by £10 to support the placement as an exclusive luxury brand.

According to one "company source":

"The company seems willing to take the risk of losing market position in Scotland if it means capturing bigger and more lucrative markets abroad."

At least they understand and are planning for the inevitable fall from the position of Scotland's #1 single malt.

As much as I chide the industry for using "Castles and kilts" in marketing, I'm not sure becoming a different nationality is the right answer either. Will this work overseas? Only the right combination of an astounding marketing budget combined with an easily swayed, status-seeking consumer base - and perhaps product placement with the right celebrity will ensure this.

It could work.

And if it does . . . get ready for as many copy-cats as the last time Glenmorangie tried something risky - those much maligned "wood finishes"

Read the full article here.

Comments

[Redleg]

A bunch of highly paid marketers should be losing their jobs over this decision.

[James Campbell Andrew]

Hmmm. I'm not sure that renaming the finishes is such a good idea (especially in such an ostentatious way), but time will tell I guess.

[JSeeds]

Yikes....As long as they don't "reposition" Ardbeg...

[Alex Nicol]

"Much Maligned" I did those! No one told me they were a shit idea, they ought to have done.It would have been kinder to an old person in reduced circumstances.
Those cheese eating surrender monkeys what do you expect- if not their famous "flair".
They bought the animal and can paint it any colour they like,I suppose.

[Kevin Erskine]

A shit idea? I think not.

Maligned? Yes
Copied? Hell Yes

if you'd asked the anoraks and waited for their buy-in; the wood finishes never would have happened ;)

[Michael Perkins]

Glenmorangie's rebranding, to me, is short-sighted and asinine. I like Glenmorangie, and consider it a good (sometimes better than good) malt at a fair price. Raising a USD 35-40 bottle of whisky to a USD 55-60 bottle with no changes to the whisky will prompt me to cease buying it.

Go ahead, guys, "rebrand" yourselves all you want. Just don't expect me to fall for it, or buy a bottle after you overprice the heck out of it.

[Kevin Erskine]

Michael,
one thing to keep in mind. A £10 rise in price doesn't automatically mean $20 rise in price here in the US.

Despite the pathetic exchange rate we now have, I've found that things that sell for $10 in the US generally sell for £10 in the UK, NOT £5.

STILL, is even a $10 hike worth it to us just for a different bottle?

Consumers like us will decide in the end.

[Redleg]

Kevin,
The wood finishes were a great idea. The renaming and re-positioning is a marketing ploy that may very well alienate current drinkers. I think it's risky and really has nothing to do with the real quality of the product.

[Kevin Erskine]

I don't totally disagree with you...though many looked at the introduction of finishes as a "marketing Ploy" as well.

[Kevin Erskine]

Some one (name withheld) suggested that this might be a move to give the departing executive staff a reason to leave.

I doubt that such a risky move would be done for this sole reason; but ti does give people a chance to protest by withdrawing.

[Tom Alexander]

Who has seen a £10-hike?
Note for the linguists: all the new names have gaelic roots.