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News
Sailor Jerry spices up its image
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum has undergone a revamp in the UK, with a change in the packaging and a reinvention of the drink itself.
With a more rounded and slightly less sweet taste, and an overhaul of the previously crowded label into an effective and “true to its roots” package, the UK’s number two golden rum brand hopes to drive awareness through significant investment in marketing activity.
The Sailor Jerry logo of a Hawaiian dancer has been enlarged with much of the detail from the previous label removed, in the hope of pushing a more recognisable brand image at various promotional events and regional sampling activities.
With a new blend of vanilla and natural spices, “the new liquid has been extremely well received by bartenders who have been vital to the brand’s success to date,” according to Gemma Adams, brand manager for Sailor Jerry at First Drinks.
The new formula is largely similar to Sailor Jerry’s US version, though with a slightly lower abv of 40%.
Sailor Jerry has had a prosperous year in the UK, recording growth ahead of the category at 456%, and is looking to continue that success with the new brand by building on a successful word-of-mouth programme.
Natalie Verduystert, 24.02.2010
I have been a fan of Sailor Jerrys for some time and was disgusted to taste the “new version”. The original drink was the expensive single malt whisky and the new drink is the Bells whisky. Its really bad, rough and smells/tastes like the stuff my local town wino’s spend their giro on. Bad move for the company….I don’t know a single person who likes the new stuff…I threw out a full bottle, its THAT bad!
Bought my girlfriend a bottle of the “new version” last week. After tasting it she thought it was a bad batch. Even i have to say you would be better of drinking a bottle of unbranded tesco rum. What have you done sailor jerry? I think this is a really bad move for an emerging brand especially the way the drinks business is at the moment.
If they stick with this version I think the brand will be consigned to the what ever happened to that” bin along with hoopers hooch, oranjeboom and MD 2020.
Well it’s back to Turps for me.
Can’t believe how bad this ‘New version’ is – what the hell are they thinking? Why fix something that wasn’t broken in the first place? Disgusted.
i used to love sailor jerry’s, only really discovered my new fav drink a couple of months ago! But tried one last night and wasn’t nice 🙁 The bar guy then told me it was the new batch. not impressed! bring the vanilla back!
Just bought a bottle of Sailor Jerry’s as a treat for all of us who love it. What a mistake. It was so bad I came on the internet to see if anyone was poisoned by it lately. It is bitter and harsh. Doesn’t even taste like a decent dark rum. Last bottle we buy. Ever.
general consensus appears to be that the new one is terrible.
I would like to know what bartenders they asked because this stuff tastes like shit!!!! somebody needs to be fired for this balls up – there is also a petition on-line on facebook to get them to change it back – so far none of these “bartenders” or “focus groups” have defended the new flavour!! I think who ever you asked to do the market research did it all themselves and pretended to ask the punters!
The new version tastes like cheap “Value” supermarket rum. SJ has lost it’s unique flavour that has converted everyone I have given it to – the “word of mouth” programme is fast becoming a tide of disgruntled fans who are boycotting this, once, distinctive drink. The Facebook petition ( http://www.hs.facebook.com/pages/Petition-against-Sailor-Jerrys-new-Recipe/319137807764 )is growing VERY fast but more people need to email SJ to tell them – “NO! ! !”
I had been loving Sailor Jerry original for months when I happened upon this new and worse flavour. It’s a huge step backwards.
I was in a bar in York just this weekend talking to a guy behind the bar about it. He had a secret hidden bottle of the old stuff that he was kind enough to serve me with. I spent half of the night just smelling the drink, trying to hold onto the smell for as long as possible.
What a huge blunder.
We have loved sailor jerry for years!(even before everyone else knew about it!!!) The new brand stinks. Sailor Jerry has lost its distinction which has made it such a much loved and distinctive drink. Hopefully everyone will protest and it will change back. Would hate to think we’ve tasted the last ‘real’ sailor jerry! Sad to see it go!
Agree with above – new recipe is a disaster. Have not met anyone who likes it. Tastes suspiciously similar to other rums found in your local bar.
Huge mistake First Drinks! Hope you’re not too disappointed with your 456% shrinkage next year!
>:(
Had some of the new flavour at the weekend…nearly puked! Why oh why did they try and fix something that was already amazing! I did hear Vanilla prices have risen recently, maybe SJ’s are just being cheap skates!
Went past Sainsbury’s this evening, found 3 bottles of old stuff hidden at the back of the new stock and bought them on sight! With a bit of luck SJ’s have paid for a decent market research company to see how its going down and they’ll realise they’ve made a monumental f**k up and change it back.
There’s a full-scale revolt against the “new” recipe (actually closer to the original US version). Thousands of people on the Facebook petition and now a website at sinkthesailor.co.uk
To Sailor Jerry: Why “fix” something that isn’t broke??
I would agree with all of the above comments. I was out when I first tasted it and I have to say I thought the drinks were off. The flavour is not even vaguely similar. I am now looking for any old bottles and stocking up. I really hope that the Sailor Jerry Representatives realise this was a BIG mistake and change the recipe back before it’s too late for them.
Sailor Jerry – get this sorted! Nobody likes the new flavour. Bring back the good stuff!!
What a terrible start to my new year!!!!!
I cant stand the taste of my favourite drink any more, what a stupid mistake changing a fantastic drink and making it completely undrinkable!! Agree with everyone else ‘if it aint broke dont fit it!!!!’
Gutted you fools!! >:(
Here’s my thread with the sailor jerry’s people, afraid it reads from the bottom up.
Thank you for responding to my email so quickly, I appreciate the thoroughness in your answer and I read the link that you included.
Personally I think the original flavour and new flavours taste significantly different, furthermore it is well known that american taste is different to the UK; I used to work for Coca-cola and there newish energy drink Relentless was created to reflect the different palette of UK consumers so why the two sailor jerry’s cannot coexist is question I put to you???
I hope I don’t come across as I’m being awkward I’m just really disappointed that one of my favourite drinks is no longer available for me to buy, I’m not one to promote facebook but there are a considerable number of people who share my view.
I look forward to your response
Jonathan
_____________________________________________
To: jonathan.relentless@hotmail.co.uk
Subject: Sailor Jerry
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2010 13:55:42 +0100
From: SailorJerry@FirstDrinks.co.uk
From: SailorJerry@FirstDrinks.co.uk
Hi Jonathan,
There are no plans to reintroduce the old recipe back into the range as an addition or substitute. Before and after launch in February research and feedback from our events and parties has been very positive towards the new taste.
We’re really sorry to hear that you don’t prefer the new taste, we’ve been getting a lot of good responses to our updated recipe, and it still works really well with a mixer and in cocktails. Trust us; we wouldn’t have changed a thing unless we thought we were making it better.
We hope you’ll give Sailor Jerry another go – you may feel differently second time around. We have been listening to our drinkers and have tried to answer all your questions by posting information about why we made the changes on our website at http://www.sailorjerry.co.uk/?p=/the-rum/the-new-recipe. We hope you’ll take the time to visit us.
See you soon,
The Sailor Jerry team
——————–
From: jonathan.relentless@hotmail.co.uk
Type: Consumer
Subject: New recipe is terrible
Comments: You have taken one of my favourite drinks and ruined it,
and 18,000+ people on facebook agree with me which is now more than
the number who are fans of it!!!
Why can’t you bring back the old recipe???
——————–
End of message.
>:( Im really sorry but the new marketing states that the new recepie has vnilla in, however, I hav been huge fan for years and have bought cases over te christmas period.
There is no vanilla in the new recepie, you can not taste it. The taste is now of a cheap whisky taste>:( I think the company should have gathered decent market research with regards to what their customers thought etc.
Terrible mistake and we can see this as it used to be a product which was only avaiable to certan stores now I can buy it in Tesco! Not a good move, Rie Turnbull BA Durham UK
i had a sailor jerrys and coke the other night and thought it tasted terrible, but i was drunk and just forgot about it.. anyway today on facebook i saw a group demanding sailor jerry’s change back! i was like I KNEW IT! it’s horrible now and i definitely won’t be buying it until it goes back to the original recipe.
The new sailor jerry taste is like that of any other mediocre spiced rum. No one will change to Sailor Jerry from other rums, as they do not need to. You are risking losing a lot of buyers with the new recipe as you have removed the completely unique taste of Sailor Jerry. It was my favourite tipple, and of at least 15 to 20 friends/colleagues that i know of. Unfortunately now they will not touch the new recipe. I really hope you bring back the old recipe, i’d finally found a tipple i could enjoy.
I used to buy a bottle every second week of the old stuff and it was my drink of choice whenever i went out….not anymore, tried the new stuff, twice….(just to make sure i hated it) and now will never spend another penny on Sailor Jerrys…it makes me really sad to loose a drink like this, something that was universally enjoyed!
I really hope ‘First drinks’ become the laughing stock of the drinks industry for taking a product with such high growth rate……and flushing it all down the toilet! Morgans or lambs spiced must be laughing all the way to the bank….idiots!
The real clincher for me though was to be told they’d done extensive market research with positive feedback….clearly this is not the case because anybody who was a fan of the old sailor jerry would have spat this new crap straight back at them if they were allowed to try it beforehand!
It feels like i’ve been stabbed in the back and then robbed by them!
Change it back to the original recipe >:(>:( what is Gemma Adams on about, the bartenders aren’t the ones drinking it!!!!!!!!
Are they serious???? It is now 15/8/2011 and it is still not back???? Why oh why wont they listen???? This now has over 26,000 followers on fb. Such a sad thing 🙁