Summer spree ahead for Grand Marnier

Grand Marnier is gearing up for a £500,000 summer marketing push to build on last year’s launch of its Grand Espirit long drink. 

The campaign will see Grand Marnier attempt to widen its consumer appeal based on further trade and consumer exposure of the Grand Esprit – a long summer drink made with Grand Marnier, elderflower cordial and soda water.

Grand Marnier will support the on- trade with a number of activities, including the distribution of over 1,600 Grand Esprit POS kits to bars in the UK through wholesalers and direct to independent outlets.

Cellar Trends’ own Brand Experience team will run 782 Grand Esprit sampling experiences in 17 UK cities. The Grand Esprit will also be promoted through consumer print and on-line media, with competitions and prizes of Grand Esprit cocktail sets.

In addition to the on-trade activity, Grand Esprit is the Official Long Summer Drink of the National BBQ Association’s Gastro Alfresco campaign, which begins on 21 May and runs until 6 September.

This campaign is built around a travelling Road Show which will visit 180 grocery superstores providing the opportunity to reach over 1.2 million consumers and dispense about 125,000 Grand Esprit samples.

Nicki Daw, Marketing Manager for Grand Marnier said: “We wanted to demonstrate to the consumer how perfect Grand Marnier is for BBQs and other summer outdoor occasions and to serve Grand Esprit when they host a BBQ or order one next time they are having a drink in a beer garden on a summer’s day.

“Thanks to our strong summer education programme the brand’s year-round versatility will get a tremendous boost in 2009.”