Mount Gay Intros Flavored Rums With 'Scented' P-O-P

Remy Amerique Inc. has introduced its first two Mount Gay flavored-rum products and is using a scent-dispersing display program to attract attention at some liquor chains and during sampling programs. The scent initiative is part of a range of P-O-P materials being offered in what the company calls its biggest new-product launch for the Mount Gay brand.The 300-year-old distillery has offered Mount Gay Eclipse and Extra Old Rums for years and now is entering the flavored-rum market, says Nicolas Guillant, Mount Gay brand manager. (The company, based in St. Michael, Barbados, operates its United States office from New York.) "We're somewhat belated in entering the flavor business, but the master distiller in Barbados has been very keen on maintaining the level of quality in the brand. We believe these new products fit the level of quality of the rest of our product line," he says.The new flavors' "premium taste and crystal clarity" are suggested by packaging that features translucent bottles and bold graphics. The products are aimed at the 24- to 39-year-old rum drinker, with a special emphasis on the 25- to 30-year-old market that favors flavored drinks, Guillant says.To grab attention during the introduction, which began in April, marketers used two sizes of scent-dispensing systems. The arched countertop-sized units, produced by ScentAir Technologies, Santa Barbara, Calif., feature Plexiglas face panels printed with Mount Gay graphics. Both versions consist of a battery-operated unit that is 4-1/2 inches wide, 10 inches tall and 6 inches deep, and a unit operating with a power cord that is 4-1/2 inches wide, 5-1/2 inches tall and 6 inches deep. The units include a motion detector, which activates a vanilla or mango scent as customers walk by. There is no residue, mist or sprays, according to a ScentAir spokeswoman.The scents were developed in conjunction with ScentAir to reflect the liquors' flavors, Guillant explains."They aren't the standard vanilla and mango flavors, but rather they are representative of the smell of the products." Such a significant introduction for the brand required an attention-getting approach, he explains. "Scents have been used in cosmetics and food for some time, and liquors have occasionally used scratch-and-sniff cards," he says. "This is the first time in the liquor industry that scent has been used to promote a brand."In addition to the scent dispensers, the introduction includes posters, banners, shelf talkers, recipe cards, case cards, brochures, table tents, sell sheets and recipe neckers, all produced by Atwater American Graphics, New York.A metal floor rack, holding three shelves for products with a large arched panel on top, was produced by Design Display Group Inc., Carlstadt, N.J. It was designed for use with a variety of the company's products, including the new flavors, two sizes of Mount Gay Eclipse and the 750-ml size of Mount Gay Extra Old. The display can be used either with the introductory graphic, featuring the two bottles and the slogan "The Color of Taste," or with the Mount Gay Rum logo on a yellow background. The graphic slides into channels on either side of the panel, which features the logo on its metal face. About 1,100 display racks were produced for national use. A variety of promotional items, including lip balm, T-shirts and blinking buttons also were produced by a variety of vendors, Guillant says. No print or broadcast is being used with the introductions, he notes, but emphasis is being put on driving the audience to the brand's Web site. "The Internet is the most widely used medium by 25 to 30 year olds, which is our key audience," he says. "We think this overall approach will recruit new consumers to the franchise."The units are being used on a select basis in key markets, including six Florida stores in the Big Daddy's Liquors chain and some Albertsons stores in the same state. These units were scheduled to be in place for one to two months, Guillant says. The dispensers also were used by distributors during a 20-market sampling program in the spring and summer, with the distributor taking one of the units to each three-hour program, where rebate coupons also were provided. About 25 units were placed in stores, and another 25 in the sampling program. "This approach allowed us to maximize the number of stores that could take advantage of this unique technology," Guillant explains.

Mount Gay Intros Flavored Rums With 'Scented' P-O-P

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