St Patrick's Day: credit is Dew...
An American point-of-sale poster featuring a burly Irish rugby player hangs prominently on the wall in the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre in Tullamore, a short drive west of Dublin. Referring to the US tradition of dying lager green to commemorate Saint Patrick's Day, it bears the slogan 'green beer my arse'.
Such a subtle suggestion that the yanks might prefer a more authentic drink when remembering the patron saint of Ireland is indicative of the way in which the brand has been marketed around St Patrick's Day abroad.
Now its UK distributor Maxxium is looking to use the event in a similar way over here - as a platform to improve Tullamore Dew's standing in what it sees as a 'potential' market.
Maxxium and brand owner C&C International are to launch a series of marketing initiatives over the next year that will include sampling and point-of-sale kits being distributed to target pubs - "classic, mainstream outlets, not style bars" - says C&C regional director Jim Breen.
For a long time the UK has been a relatively minor part of Tullamore Dew's business. Around 850 cases were sold in the on-trade here in 2006. This contrasts with Germany and Denmark, where it was the number one Irish whiskey last year, selling 15,000 cases in each market in the on-trade.
In Bulgaria and Latvia it outsold all-comers across scotch and bourbon, as well as Irish whiskey. Now UK sales are set to get a major boost, Jim says.
Activity in pubs will be at the forefront of Tullamore Dew's marketing, with the drive spearheaded by an on-trade 'seeding' strategy.
Jim stresses the importance of pubs and St Patrick's Day because "the growth of Tullamore Dew on the continent has a lot to do with Irish pub culture". He adds: "Tullamore is not something that's only going to be drunk on St Patrick's Day, but we will definitely see a spike."
Incentive schemes will run on St Patrick's Day and during other events. Jim explains that the brand is particularly targeting areas with strong Irish communities, and is looking into sponsoring a number of Irish parades on the big day.
In a market dominated by Pernod Ricard's Jameson and Diageo's Bushmills, Tullamore Dew could become a major factor in the growth of Irish whiskey, he believes.
Worldwide, Irish whiskey developed from sales of 2.5 million cases in 1997/98 to 3.7 million in 2005/06, according to International Wine and Spirit Record data, and this in a period in which spirits sales have been fairly static overall. "Ireland is coming from way behind, but it is growing far faster than other whiskey-producing countries," says Jim.
He explains that Tullamore's target consumer is typically male, 30 to 45 years old, educated and with an above-average income. Pubs are the best way to tap into this audience, he believes: "Consumers are likely to try the brand for the first time in the on-trade and it is here that they will experience the brand in an atmosphere of conviviality. This is vital for the long-term image and growth of Tullamore Dew."
A wander around the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre reveals the marketing nous for which the prohibition-era owners of the brand were known. It is filled with details of enterprising promotions - such as the Tullamore Dew-branded Irish horse-drawn 'jaunting car' that was shipped to an eccentric wealthy ex-pat holding a parade in San Diego. Now, it seems, the modern day owners are bringing their own marketing approach to bear in the UK.
