big but in trouble

When Bacardi came to us it was the world’s largest rum, the world’s second biggest spirit brand by volume and the third by value. However, the brand’s size obscured the fact that it had weak equity and was fast losing relevance among young men. As one US consumer put it, Bacardi was regarded as “disco piss for douchebags.”

We identified the ‘Bacardi Spirit’ as a way forward

We talked with young men around the world and it became clear that for them, making their way in an uncertain world, the irrepressible spirit of the Bacardi family might be a relevant connection. They face some serious challenges: social, financial, and environmental, but they remain optimistic and back themselves to succeed in exactly the same way that the Bacardi family always has. So we devised “Untameable since 1862” as a salute from one irrepressible spirit to another. We stopped talking about a generic white spirit and started sharing a shared culture and outlook – celebrating the Bacardi family’s resilient character and passion for their rum.

Work that worked around the world

This was a truly global effort, launched in the US and Mexico, then India, Australia and Europe. In the first 6 months brand desire rose by 5% in the US, Mexico and the UK, hitting set targets ahead of time. The commercial impact was equally significant: Successful price increases in the US, long-term decline in Mexico reversed to deliver 12% growth, near double digit growth here in the UK.