spirits

Beam Global's Effen Vodka Gets Provocative

Effen Vodka

Effen Vodka wasn't fooling when it dubbed its new marketing campaign "Provocatively Premium."

The super-premium vodka is produced in Holland, and its name (officially shown in all caps) is actually a Dutch word meaning "smooth, even and balanced," reports Kim Washington, the brand's director at Beam Global Spirits & Wine, which acquired Effen in June 2009 from the Sazerac Company.

But the tongue-in-cheek campaign, from Euro RSCG Chicago, plays on the name for decidedly suggestive, risqué effect.

In one print ad, a "chic snow bunny" character in a pink ski vest holding a matching Effen cocktail declares: "Nothing warms me up like Effen by the fire." In another, a curvaceous flight attendant, holding a bottle of the vodka in one hand and a martini in the other, points out: "There's nothing more satisfying than Effen on a plane." A third shows a hotel bellhop bearing a bottle on a tray and observing, with raised eyebrow: "Everyone enjoys Effen in the penthouse."

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The creative seeks to spotlight the super-premium quality of Effen -- the "stylish places and premium experiences" where consumers can enjoy the brand -- as well as build on Effen's "history of clever and bold advertising" and "spark interest and 'talk-ability'" around the brand, according to Beam.

The target audience includes both men and women in their mid- to late-20s and up (reflecting the brand's upscale quality/pricing: $29.99 for a 750-ml bottle), who are interested in "the new and different, culture, fashion, art and design," Washington tells Marketing Daily.

As a young brand (launched in 2003), Effen offers "an element of discovery" -- and its distinctive, minimalist bottle design, which includes a rubber sleeve designed for esthetics, as well as functionality, has helped generate considerable buzz. "People who appreciate design are always commenting about how beautiful the bottle is," Washington says.

Print ads will appear in select national magazines (including Elle, Out and Wired) and in regionals such as Chicago. The main thrusts, however, are out-of-home media (including circular, street-level kiosks in the San Francisco Bay area, taxi-toppers in the Chicago area, and billboards in both of those cities plus Los Angeles, San Diego and Milwaukee), and online media.

The out-of-home executions highlight the "Provocatively Premium" tagline and one-liners such as: "The best nights start with a little Effen."

Online efforts include banner and flash ads in a mix of nightlife and style sites. In addition, on some style sites such as style.com, rich-media/interactive ads provide content and prompt users to answer poll questions related to home décor and other style topics.

Beam is also relaunching an "optimized" Facebook fan page, and "evaluating other social media for their value in building out the brand," reports Washington.

The most recent prior campaigns for the brand played on the theme "Effen is a five-letter word," tying in other five-letter words that highlighted the product's characteristics ("great," "taste" etc.) and various aspects of nightlife.

After Beam acquired the brand to round out its vodka portfolio (it also owns Vox, a premium vodka, and a number of lower-priced brands including Kamchatka, Wolfschmidt, Bellows and Dark Eyes), an "evolved" version of the five-letter campaign, with greater emphasis on the super-premium aspect, was employed while Beam conducted consumer research in preparation for a new marketing approach, Washington notes.

2 comments about "Beam Global's Effen Vodka Gets Provocative".
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  1. Steven Kirstein from OnProcess Technology, April 8, 2010 at 8:27 a.m.

    You say "risqué", I say unnecessarily vulgar and low-class.
    I'm sure I'll get flamed for saying so. but there it is.

  2. Marilyn Smith from 811media, April 8, 2010 at 9:01 a.m.

    I love love love Effen. Vodka.

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