Taittinger gets new look for World Cup

Taittinger is launching a new limited edition label and gift box featuring hologramatic footballs to remind consumers of its position as the official Champagne of the FIFA World Cup.

Taittinger’s special edition look features footballs that give the appearance of being raised, but are in fact completely flat

“I think we are the only one to do holograms on the label, and it’s been complicated, it’s certainly not as simple as we thought,” said Clovis Taittinger, the 35 year-old export director of the house, and fourth generation member of the brand-owning family.

The new look will affect Taittinger’s Brut Réserve non-vintage Champagne, although this is not the first time the brand has used a hologram effect on its packaging, having introduced its “bubbles” packaging in January last year.

Like the footballs on its new look for the World Cup, the bubbles give the appearance of being raised, but are in fact completely flat (see below).

Speaking to the drinks business earlier this year about Taittinger’s tie-in with the World Cup, which will take place in Brazil this June, Clovis said that the Champagne had secured a partnership with football’s international federation that will run until December 2015.

“It is a big investment but it is a nice opportunity for Taittinger with the biggest event of the world and one that is a spectacular moment of emotion,” he said.

Taittinger introduced its “bubbles” packaging in January last year

“It’s the first time we’ve done anything this big,” he added.

Unfortunately for the brand, Tattinger can’t promote the expensive union within France, and the house has already been fined for advertising its position as FIFA’s official Champagne.

Under the country’s Loi Evin, which strictly controls the promotion of alcohol and tobacco, Taittinger has been told by French courts earlier this month that it was “manifestly illicit” to advertise the brand’s World Cup partnership.

But Clovis Taittinger told db that Taittinger would use the sponsorship deal to raise brand awareness in new markets and South America in particular.

“Taittinger is one of the top three biggest Champagne brands in Brazil, and we are very present in Paraguay and Venezuela… and it is a chance for us to reinforce the life of Taittinger worldwide,” he said.

Clovis Taittinger

Looking back over last year, he recorded that 2013 was “the best year ever” for Taittinger, following a previous sales record set in 2012.

“Everything performed well,” he added, “but if I were to name two blockbusters it is the Nocturne and the Comtes de Champagne.”

Tattinger Nocturne is a sec Champagne with a dosage of 20 g/l and Clovis said that “trendy bars and nightclubs” in markets such as Germany, Scandinavia, the Caribbean and Africa were the main source of sales for the Champagne, which has a purple label.

As for Comtes de Champagne, Clovis described it as “flying a bit under the radar for the last 15  years”, and currently a cuvée that is “coming back” due to an increased interest in “wines with a great history but discrete marketing.”

While Taittinger currently produces around six million bottles annually, Clovis said that the Champagne house was not planning to grow rapidly in the near future.

“We don’t want to be much bigger, and if at the end of my life then we are 9-10m bottles, then it’s because we are able to make 9-10m happy consumers who are not just tempted by price or packaging, but who like Taittinger.”

Speaking about the health of the Champagne region, he said there were “positive signs”.

“There is big demand for Champagne even in the [economic] crisis and the quality of Champagne has never been so good,” he commented.

Nevertheless, he also recorded “warnings”, which included “fierce competition, grape price inflation, and increasing taxes and protectionism in export markets”.