When Sazerac Company, home to 450 of the world’s most extraordinary alcohol brands, teamed up with Grammy-nominated songwriter/rapper Quavo to create a new-to-world white cognac, they called on PRecise Communications to introduce one of the first and only white cognacs available stateside.
Branded White X, Sazerac, and Quavo set out to position the product as a cognac for a new generation. Its primary competitor had a huge following among African Americans but was only available overseas or in duty-free airport shops. Sazerac hoped to build an affinity for White X among Black male consumers, 21-35 years old, and make it a major seller.
Objectives:
Generate awareness of White X among the spirits industry and African American consumer market via media exposure; secure 33 media placements and surpass 140.8 million media impressions; drive traffic to the e-commerce website, BlockBar, for the official product launch and sell out its first 100 bottles; influence product trial by engaging relevant social media influencers.
Strategies:
Position White X as ushering in a new era of cognac, for today’s generation; project and promote a brand personality around White X that aligned with Quavo’s “Huncho” (meaning boss) persona and the aspirational lifestyles of young Black men – make it a status symbol; showcase the product differentiators (e.g., taste, price point, availability) to generate trial; create opportunities for media and influencers to experience the product.
Tactics:
- Implemented a three-part media relations strategy, including: the official launch of White X, and its availability on BlockBar; hosting a special event to engage Atlanta media and influencers (Quavo’s hometown); announcing White X’s national rollout via a private event for New York-based media and influencers
- Produced a high-end event at a popular nightclub, also a Sazerac customer, in Quavo’s hometown, to introduce White X to local distributors, media, and influencers
- Applied the creative theme, “get bossed up,” through the event décor and photo opportunities
- Offered an exclusive cognac tasting for media and influencers that also featured Quavo doing a cocktail-making demonstration
- National media personality “Big Tigger” was hired to emcee a short program
- The evening included music, food, and special White X signature cocktails
- Pursued organic and paid social media exposure by sending custom mailers to leading Black lifestyle content creators. Packaged in a branded briefcase, the gifts included a bottle of White X, engraved cognac snifters, a gold? lighter, an ice stamp, and a note that said, “You’ve officially bossed up”
- To announce the national roll-out, we secured media and influencers for an invitation-only event at Carbone’s in New York City. Our guests participated in a private cognac tasting and dinner with Quavo and Sazerac representatives.
Results:
- The first 100 bottles of White X sold out on BlockBar within one hour
- 55 media placements generating more than 166.5 million impressions, surpassing the impressions goal by more than 19 percent
- Mailer unboxing generated 97 organic social media placements, reaching 49.5 million impressions, 1.4 million video views, with 96.7 neutral to positive brand sentiment
- The Atlanta event sold out of all the 400 White X cases Sazerac had on site
