Hennessy goes big!

Hennessy's Artistry campaign uses experiential marketing to promote Hennessy cognac to young adults all around

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For the last 3 years, Hennessy has been touring the globe with its Hennessy Artistry entertainment showpiece.  Promising the (cliched?) alcohol/ experiential “unique atmosphere, entertainment and Hennessy cocktails”, the rest of the world has seen a fair share of interesting artists and collaborations.

In China, we appear to have been stiffed on a regular basis (and not only with the world’s worst website – here for Chinese and here for English language).  In 2006, the Radar remembers heading off to a pimped out exhibition hall in Pudong, Shanghai, to indulge ourselves in the bizarre programming that brought DJ Sky Nellor!!together DJ Sky Nellor (one of those classy glamour model/ DJ combos), Taiwan’s great crooner David Tao and the raucous rubbishness of Juliette Lewis and the Licks.  In fact, the 80RMB return taxi ride was made worthwhile by the look of horror on the faces of the majority as Juliette and her hunky, bikey, bandannaed band screamed their way through a car crash of a set.  The Radar has seen her since, and she wasn’t actually that bad.  It was the glorious juxtaposition of the bling (and obviously EXTREMELY expensive) set, and a band that looked like they belonged in a dive bar somewhere in the midwest playing to 3 rednecks and a squirrel.  Needless to say, both the bar and the exit were in strong demand during her set.

Since year 1 however, Hennessy have been upping the ante.  Year 2 saw some more bizarre combinations, with a triumphant return for David Tao & Sky Nellor and then adding the stellar talents of the world’s most endorsed superstar Leehom Wang, Amerie, 曹格(Gary), Bowling For Soup, 杨晃, Seven, Justin, and Grand Avenue.

2008 sees Hennessy going for the money shot with probably the most famous (and best paid) of all the Chinese pop-erati, Jay Chou.  He will appear alongside Will Pan and Wyclef Jean in Beijing on 8th November.  The rest of the cities on the tour won’t be/ haven’t been so lucky.  They really go down the order until you get to Hangzhou, Ningbo and Nanjing who were lucky enough to witness the following unique blend of entertainment: 林宥嘉, Sylver, DJ Gruv.

For Hennessy anyway, this increased investment probably reflects a successful program, but how much of Hennessy’s massive success in China is down to Artistry is anyone’s guess.  One thing is for certain, Cognac is now the number 2 in the Chinese imported liquor category by volume (around 39%) and the number 1 by value (around 55%) and Hennessy is the most successful player in the Cognac category.  Unlike Scotch which usually has to be aged (12 years in a warehouse anyone?), Cognac is made and then bottled.  It then retails in China for 20-30% above it’s older and more expensive-to-make liquid brother.  This means that Cognac can make more investment in packaging (a hugely important factor for this market) and with its long history in China as an upscale gift (and the posh liquor of choice for government style entertaining) Cognac’s only real challenge was to modernise its image for the younger audience.  Chivas et al. showed the way with their heavy investment in entertainment throughout the noughties and Hennessy have taken to the challenge.  Hennessy Artistry (along with Chivas Live) is the most high profile example of an alcohol funded entertainment program in China and according to our web-monkeys in the office:

“People are excited about the Hennessy Artistry, super stars, great music, lots fun….they love the party!”

It must be good then!

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