Mumbai: In the spirited celebration of World Brandy Day in December 2023, Mansion House Flandy unveiled its groundbreaking campaign, “Welcome The Now.” Blending disruptive flavors and intergenerational connections, this innovative launch transcends the conventional narrative in the spirits industry. With a strategic digital-first approach targeting a younger demographic in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Flandy aims not just to redefine the brandy category but to create a cultural shift through music and collaboration. The campaign, featuring a vibrant music video and influential partnerships, marks not only the introduction of a distinctive brand but also a movement that challenges norms and embraces the essence of living in the present moment.
Indiantelevision.com caught up with Tilaknagar Industries chief marketing officer Ahmed Rahimtoola to know more about the campaign.
Edited Excerpts:
On the launch of this campaign
As a leader in the brandy category, we recognized the unique opportunity to disrupt the narrative and introduce a message that goes beyond conventional norms. What better way to launch our innovative brand, Mansion House Flandy, on Digital than strategically leveraging World Brandy Day? It served as the perfect stage for this disruption, allowing us to set the tone and redefine the conversation trend in the spirits industry.
This campaign is more than sipping a drink or a celebration; it’s a movement that encapsulates the essence of living in the present moment and fostering cross-generational connections. The central theme revolves around the belief that every moment is an opportunity to create meaningful memories and connections.
On the messaging to your consumers when you say ‘Building Bridges through Music’
The “Welcome the Now” launch campaign for Flandy epitomizes the ethos of warmth and inclusion, a key essence of all our brands within the Mansion House portfolio. It marks a significant strategic expansion of Flandy’s appeal. We used the power of music to come up with an impactful narrative that was more than just a marketing exercise. Through music, the biggest passion point of our brand and the most accessible way for our target audience to engage and express themselves, our campaign was a devoted attempt to create a cultural shift towards embracing the present, fostering intergenerational ties, and welcoming a younger demographic into the Mansion House fold. We’re specifically engaging with a digitally savvy male audience, aged 25-35, in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The Flandy Anthem & video is a vibrant, peppy celebration but also tackles powerful agendas of countering stereotypes, breaking down generational divides, and encouraging individuals to embrace the spontaneity and simplicity of life. Thereby celebrating the convergence of youthful energy and seasoned wisdom through a compelling music video. It’s an open invitation to experience life in its fullest & most authentic form. The campaign has managed to transcend traditional marketing by championing a message of unity and the timeless spirit of youth – a movement that invites everyone to build bridges, share wisdom, and live in the moment.
On strategising the music anthem ‘The Flandy Song’ and your collaboration with BGBNG Music
The core idea was to weave and bring alive the campaign theme of intergenerational friendship through a refreshing music anthem and video: The perfect tango of creativity and innovation. The music anthem and video reflect our tribute to the vibrant cultures of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh—regions that have welcomed Mansion House as part of their celebratory traditions. This initiative is our way of reciprocating the loyalty and affection these communities have shown us. This musical narrative pays homage to the intergenerational bonds that are deeply woven into the fabric of these regions – a cultural salute aligning with the values of camaraderie and unity prevalent there.
It was a seamless collaboration between StoryBoats, our strategic agency partner, and BigBang Collective, creative partner on the project. It’s not just an intergenerational friendship; it’s the magic of “inter-agency collaboration,” where two strategic & creative juggernauts merge their talents, each adding its unique color to the canvas. The result? A masterpiece that not only defines the essence of Mansion House Flandy but also sets sail to uncharted waters in the world of brand storytelling. This isn’t just a campaign; it’s a testament to the art of collaboration, where ideas collide, sparks fly, and interagency synergy creates something truly extraordinary.
Antony Rajkumar, CEO of StoryBoats, who leads the brand strategy and creative mandate for the larger Mansion House portfolio, said, “Flandy isn’t just a drink; it’s a disruptive flavor innovation in the Brandy category. We envisioned more than a conventional campaign; we conceived a movement that celebrates life, friendships, and the vibrant spirit of now. Beyond a beverage, Flandy is a catalyst for a cultural shift. This campaign is a meticulous fusion of insights, strategy, and creative direction—aimed not just at selling a product but at redefining the entire conversation in the spirits industry.”
Gaurav Wadhwa, CEO, BGBNG Music, emphasized the campaign’s unique nature. The “Welcome the Now’ campaign truly embodies the spirit of diverse collaboration and innovation. Bringing together a diverse pool of artists and talents for this anthem has been an inspiring journey and seeing them seamlessly come alive in the music video has been truly rewarding. We aimed for delivering a unique campaign, and I’m proud to say this anthem stands as a testament to that dedication.”
BGBNG and CCL together made a perfect ecosystem in providing the kind of impactful communication solution we were seeking for the launch of Mansion House Flandy.
On the marketing strategy for the campaign
Through Mansion House Flandy as an innovative offering, we aim to expand the category at large & bring in a new younger audience into the brandy category and further into the fold of Mansion House portfolio.
In terms of our target audience, we are predominantly targeting males (90:10, M:F ratio) between the age group 25 – 35 years core / SEC: A2/B. Our consumers are new entrants and adopters who are in the early stages of their careers, completely tuned in to the world primarily through digital media, along with being social media savvy.
Our target markets are primarily Andhra Pradesh & Telangana given the product is introduced & available in these 2 markets itself. In terms of media & platform strategy, the campaign took an integrated Digital 1st approach with it being activated on YouTube, META & Spotify as 3 distinct channels. The campaign is a powerful expression of what Mansion House Flandy stands for and, more specifically, how Flandy aligns with the aspirations and values of our target group.
One of the marketing strategies for the campaign was to cut through all demographics across Telangana and AP & use Influencers who, apart from being popular & having a local connect, could also be key opinion leaders for the brand. Arvind, Tejaswi, and Riyaz really stood out for us & helped us achieve this objective with their diverse appeal. By leveraging their social media assets as additional distribution platforms and tapping into a highly engaged follower base that cumulatively stood at 7.6Mn, these influencers added a dynamic touch to the campaign’s narrative.
The launch of the campaign was also strategic in terms of timing, coinciding with World Brandy Day. Capitalizing on this global celebration, we aimed to challenge the status quo and introduce a fresh dialogue in the spirits sector, reinforcing our leadership in the brandy market.
For this campaign, we’ve established ambitious targets, aiming for a minimum reach of 11 Mn in addition to 22 million views across our content assets & performance marketing cumulatively. As part of our post-launch amplification efforts, we’re also planning to activate a regional Influencer marketing campaign on social media extending the theme of #WelcomeTheNow.
