Southern Comfort's New Mix Includes Gender-Neutral Tack - liquor company target marketing campaign - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Brandweek, June 25, 2001 by Kenneth Hein

Southern Comfort has set its sights on female consumers with a new summer campaign, while it readies a fall and winter ad assault touting its first new bottle redesign in 65 years in an overall $8 million push.

A radio spot touting the "Comfort Colada," breaking today, is set in Hades. After sipping the drink, the narrator says, "I have chills. It's been so long." The '70s classic "Disco Inferno" plays throughout. The narrator asks, "Do they always play this song?" The response: "Yeah, it's hell"

Print bearing the tags "A cure for the common colada" and "Help stop global warming" broke in July issues of Cosmopolitan, Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated and a handful of other books.

The executions, targeting consumers 21-29, have "become a little more gender-neutral," said Paul Tuell, national marketing manager for Brown-Forman Beverages, Louisville, Ky. "We want to bring the important female consumer into the franchise."

The brand's first-quarter, $2 million "Find comfort in a storm" effort largely targeted men 21-34 with New Orleans-themed messaging.

In September, Southern Comfort's "Same great spirit. New spirited attitude" campaign will launch to support the product's facelift. The push, which features a glamour shot of the new bottle, will appear in print trades. New radio and outdoor in 23 markets will also appear through year end. A holiday consumer print campaign, featuring the new bottle, rolls in November and December.

The summer campaign was created by Simmons Durham, St. Louis, which has been acquired by Arnold, Boston. Aside from the relaunch print ads, which were designed by Momentum, St. Louis, Arnold will handle all of Southern Comfort's fall and winter executions.

On the event-marketing front, the company has launched "Cocktail Clinic," where young adults can learn how to mix their favorite SoCo cocktails. There are eight clinics taking place this summer and fall. Sum mer music festival sponsorships are also part of the marketing mix.

Brown-Forman plans to spend $8 million in media and promotions on Southern Comfort this year. The company spent $7.6 million on media last year, per Competitive Media Reporting.

SAME SPIRIT

New spirited ??