Allied Domecq Backs Kahlua with Largest Promotional Effort to Date

Allied Domecq Spirits USA, Westport, Conn., in May launched its largest promotional effort to date for its Kahlua brand, according to Phil West, brand manager, with its P-O-P, print, TV, Internet and bar blitz of advertising for Kahlua Rum-Cola, a mixed drink featuring traditional rum and cola with Kahlua spirits added."You can make about 228 drinks with Kahlua. Our strategy is not talking about all those drinks at once, but about an individual drink," West explains. "This summer, all our efforts are behind Kahlua Rum-Cola."The P-O-P portion of the campaign alone is massive. "We're doing P-O-P both off- and on-premise," says Jana Gabe, promotions manager.For off-premise accounts, pole toppers and case cards lead the promotional effort. Also included are banners, made of plastic for durability indoors and out; channel talkers; four-panel bottle neckers; posters that feature a recipe and a calendar; inflatable palm trees; and beach balls. Beach towels, which can be displayed as banners, were also produced.The P-O-P materials that were provided for on-premise accounts are standard-size bar napkins, inflatable drink holders, table tents, in-bar posters, and neon and chalk menu boards."We provide bar napkins, T-shirts, tank tops and bartender shirts, hats, recipe cards and magnets that feature the recipes to the retailers," Gabe adds.Little assembly is required for any of the P-O-P. "The pole topper requires the most effort," Gabe notes, "but it's very easy and comes with instructions."Designed by Tuxis Group, Westport, Conn., the P-O-P was produced by American Accessories, Knoxville, Tenn.; DJ Graphics, Nyack, N.Y.; Forest Manufacturing, Twinsburg, Ohio; Reproduction Services, Bridgeport, Conn.; and Westcott Displays, Detroit.Production numbers vary widely per item, ranging from "a couple thousand pole toppers, to maybe 300,000 T-shirts, to probably a million napkins," Gabe says.Allied Domecq decided to focus on Kahlua Rum-Cola this summer because "rum and colas are one of the most popular bar drinks year in and year out, and people tend to put their own flavor twist on them with light rum, spiced rum, Pepsi or Diet Coke," West says. "It's a perfect drink for an additional twist with Kahlua.""We've done some similar promotions with sweepstakes in the past, but we've never done a campaign to this extent, size or scope," West says.The P-O-P is provided through "our divisional marketing manager who works closely with the field reps to decide what the off-premise retailers get," Gabe notes. "For on-premise, we have eight top markets where we do managed night events, and we look to where our vanguard audience -- 21-to-29-year-olds -- live and socialize.""Initial feedback, both in the testing and official launch phases, has been that the promotion is very successful," West says.

Allied Domecq Backs Kahlua with Largest Promotional Effort to Date

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