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Knowledge is the new social currency for high net worth consumers, says Campari Group

07 April 2022 By Alice Liang

Spirits giant Campari Group recently launched RARE Attico in Singapore, an invitation-only space where visitors can browse the new super-premium RARE Opulent collection. The drinks business talks to marketing director Thomas Mayr about targeting top-end clientele.

Targeting both high-net-worth-individuals (HNWI) and ultra-high-net-worth-individuals (UHNWI) in Asia Pacific, RARE Attico is home to Campari Group’s new RARE Opulent collection; some of the most premium, rare liquids among the company’s portfolio ranging from US$200 up to US$ 30,000 and beyond. We catch up with Campari’s marketing and channel marketing director Thomas Mayr about the special project.

Q: Tell us about Campari Group’s plans for the new space and your vision to engage high-net-worth consumers.

A: RARE Attico is an invitation-only space which houses a collection of the most exceptional liquids. It’s the first of its kind for Campari Group, and was designed to host intimate groups of high net worth individuals (HNWI) and trade partners to inspire conversations and provide a high level of exclusivity and luxury. The space features unique brand artefacts and distillers’ chronicles to share our brands’ undiscovered stories, as well as handcrafted display cabinets, a lounge area and tasting bar to mentor clients on our liquids.

Q: How important is the “super-premium” category within the Asia Pacific (APAC) market?

A: APAC as a region is showing significant opportunities in this context, from a cultural, user base and strategic standpoint. Asia Pacific has the fastest-growing number of HNWIs and the highest number of UHNWIs. Owning or gifting premium aged spirits has always been an important part of the culture in this region and so investing in RARE makes sense to further accelerate our brands premiumisation. In terms of our offerings, we focus on our rare collection of brown spirits (single malt, Cognac, rum and Bourbon) in the super-premium price tier of more than US$200, as well as Champagne. We are taking a targeted geographic approach, focusing on Asia’s key cities where a large part of HNWIs live, work and travel, namely Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei, Seoul and Tokyo. This will allow us to be very focused in our investments, route to market and capabilities.

Q: What are the demographics of this high net worth consumer group, and what kind of bespoke experience is Campari looking to offer them?

A: The RARE consumer base has significantly evolved over the past decade. Today, it is increasingly diverse, almost equally split between women and men, and younger than ever before. Our primary audience today are often in their late 20s and early 30s, fuelled by second generation wealth (Fu Er Dai as it’s known in Mandarin) and newly minted millionaires from tech unicorn companies. These clients are not bound by the same pre-conceived notions of luxury that their parents had. They have an explorer mindset and are looking for unique experiences to share with their peers, versus just material possessions. Knowledge and true connoisseurship is a powerful social currency. They long for rich stories that resonate with them, and see knowledge as a new form of luxury. For this reason, we decided to develop a space that can offer a ‘money can’t buy’ experience, as we take them on a journey across faraway lands to share precious stories about our liquids.

Q: Would Campari Group consider offering online or virtual experiences for this group?

A: Online interactions and shopping are an important part of life for this clientele. For us, it is important to ensure we can provide the same level of experience and end-to-end service in a curated way. At this stage, we limit eCommerce for our liquids up to US$400, but clients can enquire online for more information via our sales consultants who will be in touch to help them discover more, including at our RARE Attico for Singapore-based clients.

Q: In addition to The Glen Grant Dennis Malcolm 60th Anniversary Edition, which other rare spirits form part of the collection?

A: We have a wide variety of super premium liquids, including our award-winning single malt brand The Glen Grant; a 17-year-old Wild Turkey Bourbon; Appleton Estate, our legendary rum from Jamaica with one of the largest high-aged reserves in the category; Bisquit & Dubouché Cognac which won Cognac of the Year at the New York International Spirits awards in 2021; Grand Marnier Grand Cuvées, elevating the assemblage of Cognac and bitter orange and showcasing the rarest hors d’âge Cognacs, in beautiful handmade Baccarat decanters. Then there is Lallier, our newly acquired Grand Cru Champagne. The pinnacle of our RARE offering is The Glen Grant Dennis Malcolm 60th Anniversary Edition, aged for 60 years in rare Oloroso Sherry casks and non-chill filtered to retain optimal flavour and aroma. It’s the oldest distillery bottling in the brand’s 182-year history, limited to just 360 bottles worldwide. This single malt Scotch pays tribute to one of the longest standing master distillers in Scotland, Dennis Malcolm, and is the hallmark of Dennis’s career and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for discerning whisky connoisseurs, many of whom reside in the Asia Pacific region.

Q: What’s next for RARE?

We have more releases in the pipeline. Some exciting news later this year will be the release of a private cask programme for The Glen Grant, with unique casks personalised for each buyer. This is the first of its kind for the distillery, and a unique opportunity for whisky fans in Asia Pacific. There will be more news to share in the upcoming months, so stay tuned.

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