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Watching the raid on Sean Combs' home during the news took me back to September 2006 when I led Diageo’s Reserve Brand Group. The Cîroc team, ably led by Jamie Herbstman, presented two potential growth strategies: (1) partner with Sean “Diddy” Combs, an idea generated by the inimitable Jacquie Lee, or; (2) a traditional brand-building campaign for “self-defined sophisticates living an uncommon lifestyle”, developed by KBS (kirshenbaum bond senecal + partners) and Hunter.   I advocated for the uncommon. Ultimately, the team went with Diddy, launching in 2007.   The Diddy partnership took Cîroc from +/- 50,000 to ~2 million cases globally today. It also paved the way for many others like Clooney’s Casamigos, Hagar’s Cabo Wabo, Reynolds’ Aviation Gin . . . I take no credit for the Diddy deal, but I think it fair to call it a success.   But now Cîroc is declining double-digits in the US. Could Diageo have built a more enduring business today if they had gone with a positioning woven into the fabric of the product? Public reports indicate that Diddy made almost $1 billion over the 15-year partnership, and that does not include the dollars needed to activate the partnership. So minimally, Diageo could have spent, on average, $70 million/year to establish the “Uncommon Vodka”.   What do you think? Is the Diddy story a cautionary tale for building brands around celebrity alignment (like Jared/Subway) or an unfortunate one-off? Today I see more influencer/celebrity endorsements than ever . . . but will these be lasting businesses? Do strategics need to be cautious when buying personality-driven businesses? I wonder . . . Jon Bond, Domenico Vitale, Jonas Hallberg, Aaron Reitkopf, Jonathan Lyon, Kristie Wallis (she/her), Brian Hodous, #Diageo #Cîroc #Diddy #Vodka

We have analyzed 365 brands in 25 categories using our Superfan Potential Analyzer tm. Which categories have the highest superfan potential? The lowest? Which brands are the superfan winners and losers in each category? How does your brand rank? Superfans are <5% of a given brand's consumers but >85% of all online engagement and >99% of all brand advocacy. So the answers to these questions really matter for brands. The beer category has relatively high superfan potential due to higher than average superfan HEAT (passion) and very large communities of social optins to potentially leverage. But it's engagement levels are relatively low indicating it's not really activating it's superfans. Equals BIG opportunities for the beer brands that figure this out. Brands like Michelob and Budweiser that ranked #1 and #2 in superfan potential have the opportunity to dominate the beer superfan space. Brands like Coors Lite and Corona ranked next to last and last and need to figure this out quickly just to compete. We can help. DM me if interested. #beercategory #superfan #Superfanmetrics #brandcloud #brandsuperfanleaderboard #Categorysuperfanranking #socialmedia #socialmarketing #marketingroi #saasmartech

🥇 🥈 🥉 THE RANKINGS - BEVERAGE/ALCOHOL 🥇 🥈 🥉 Ah, the wonderful power of a Distinctive Brand Asset in action. AB InBev smashing it out the park this year with Budweiser's Super Bowl ad. To quote the DBA guru Jenni Romaniuk 'Distinctive Assets make up the brand's identity - how people sense it. These assets are a product of how the company has presented the brand to the world.' So, the absence of one of the world's most distinctive of assets, the Clydesdale horse, in last year's Budweiser SB ad was a peculiar one. But, let's not dwell on the past, as 2024 saw a triumphant return, helping Budweiser claim top spot in the beverage and alcohol category. But of course it takes more than Distinctive Assets to make a great ad. It must also captivate and compel the viewer. And Budweiser delivered, the ad taking its place in the upper echelons of effectiveness through also leveraging storytelling and emotion to successfully reinforce a meaningful impression for Budweiser. Cheers to that 🍻 🏆

Charli and Dixie D'Amelio have entered the food aisle with their snack business, Be Happy Snacks, joining other top creators and influencers like MrBeast and Logan Paul who have made a mark in this category. Be Happy Snacks, inspired by a Dixie D'Amelio song, is launching with a popcorn line. This strategic move into the snack aisle demonstrates the team's foresight. As by examining the digital signals surrounding the sisters' digital presence and audience interests. A comprehensive deep dive analysis reveals a significant opportunity for them to expand further into the CPG industry. With a clear roadmap and focused priority on specific categories, this expansion could pave the way for the family to tap into billion-dollar markets and claim their rightful share. This strategic move could unlock exponential growth for D'Amelio Brands LLC, led by Marc D'Amelio, and backed by Michael Rubin and Fifth Growth Fund. Congratulations to Trevor Drinkwater, Carese Bartlett, Richard Rosenblatt, Ed Wilson, Royce Wilson and all the teams behind this amazing drop. #business #digital #creatoreconomy #cpg #entertainmentindusty (📷: PEOPLE Magazine | PEOPLE.com)

Top 5 Challenger Brands to Watch Listeners of Uncensored CMO will know how much I love challenger brands Anyone who can challenge a dominant market player using vastly inferior resources has to be worth taking notice of Here are 5 challengers we can all learn from 👉 Luke Boase - Lucky Saint The alcohol free beer market was almost none existent when Luke decided to launch a dedicated alcohol free Beer brand Lucky Saint. Smart thinking, an understanding of the brand, a great team and lots of perseverance have made Lucky Saint a huge success Listen here https://lnkd.in/ev62uKwy 👉 Emily Kraftman - Who Gives A Crap Well apparently they do and more and more of us do to! Who'd have thought one of the most successful challengers would be a direct-to-consumer toilet roll brand but often the biggest successes come from the most unlikely places. When I grow up I want to be Emily! Listen here https://lnkd.in/e8x6ADus 👉 Ben Greensmith - Tony's Chocolonely We talk a lot about purpose and if you want to see it done well then look no further than Tony's. It just happens to also be very good chocolate. Tony's are a master class of positioning, product and packaging as well as doing a lot with a small budget. Listen here https://lnkd.in/eK_E3yJj 👉 Rebecca Dibb-Simkin - Octopus Energy When you discover how big Octopus Energy has become in a short space of time with relatively modest budgets its hugely impressive. This is another example of when purpose means something real for a brand. Rebecca has achieved so much on limited budgets. Listen here https://lnkd.in/envJgfgj 👉 Tom Rainsford - Beavertown The second beer to appear on this list but for good reason. Beavertown have an astonishing back story and like all the others have achieved huge results spending very little. An obsession with product, packaging and placement has made it work, oh and contemporary dance! Listen here https://lnkd.in/e29Q_Fhr You can also watch episodes here https://lnkd.in/egMpM4gu Adam Morgan

Pernod Ricard’s bold responsible drinking campaign for Gen Z, DRINK MORE WATER made an impact when it was first launched – for the right and wrong reasons – with many not understanding it or challenging the concept all together. But what makes this seemingly ‘silly’ campaign effective? And why is prevention an important topic for organisations like Pernod Ricard? We spoke to Steven Edney BEM from Expression for Growth, experts in behaviour change within corporations, and julien levilain, CEO of BUZZMAN who created the campaign to get their insights. #Advertising #GenZ #ResponsibleConsumption #Prevention

It's holiday promo season, and there are two main promo strategies: Some brands aim to broaden their audience, while others focus on deepening brand loyalty. For example. PepsiCo's partnership with Fanatics targets sports fans. This approach is perfect for brands looking to grow their customer base. But remember, aligning with the right partner is crucial. A mismatch can dilute your brand's identity instead of strengthening it. Then, look at Budweiser Brewing Company APAC. They are running a promo rewarding their fans with exclusive, brand-centric deals. This strategy is great for reinforcing connections with existing customers. So, what's your strategy this holiday season? Looking to expand your reach or fortify existing relationships? If you're after a bit of both, UChoose by CardCash.com might be your answer. It combines the broad appeal of a partnership (with over 200 brands) and the exclusivity of a solo promotion, without the worry of brand ethos clashes. #promo #sweepstakes #incentives