The Hindu Business Line : Jagermeister set for a national rollout

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Pune Feb. 21 If there's an ice-cold shot adding warmth to a party, there's a good chance that there's a bottle of Jagermeister (pronounced Yagermeister), somewhere in the vicinity. And if it's in the two months post February, the chances are just as good that the party is happening in Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata or Delhi.

Yes, it's official: the flagship product of Mast-Jagermeister AG that debuted in India this February, is ready for a national roll-out of the herbal liqueur through a series of parties in these cities, before heading for other possible markets.

`Important market'

In Mumbai, to kick off the launch that comes at the end of a pan-Asian initiative in 15 countries, including Thailand, China, Japan and Korea, Mr David Bell, Regional Director, Asia-Pacific region, is certain that despite the low level of awareness, India will "very quickly become an important market in the whole world".

Given their `long term approach,' the Indian market will undergo the typical virtuous cycle, he adds. The company's marketing strategy will revolve around the `think global, act local' maxim, Mr Bell says. As in other parts of the world, an important part of the `popularise Jagermeister' campaign will be to invest in brand building activities at the `Jagermeister islands' — essentially bars and clubs — they propose to create in each city.

For starters each of the cities will have at least 50, he indicates. The marketing initiatives immediately on the cards include training of crews — popularly known as Jagerettes — who will introduce consumers to ice-cold Jagermeister shots and mixed drinks.

All the places will be equipped with Jagermeister Tap Machines dispensers, specially designed to ensure that at the push of a button, the drink is served just as it should be: `colder than ice'.

Brand building

In the US, where Jagermeister is top of the charts in the imported liqueur category since 2004, the brand-building innovations included Jagermeister music tours, band programmes and the Jager racing programme. In India, too, Mr Bell says, music is likely to be part of the promotional tour, either in the form of concerts or through DJs.

Jagermeister, Germany's top international liquor brand was launched in 1935, is exported from the small town of Wolfenbuttel, south of Braunschweig.

Claimed to be a blend of 56 herbs, including licorice (though the flavour is not so predominant), the alcohol content of the amber liquid stands at a heady 35 per cent. Though the best way to down the drink that consumers say has an `assertive herbal flavour', is "ice cold and unadulterated," Jagermeister also lends itself invitingly to partnering soft drinks.

While in the US, the Jagermeister-Red Bull (the energy drink) combination is the number one seller, colas, tonic water or orangeade/juice would do equally well. In fact, the Jagermonster (one shot each of J, grenadine and 5 oz orange juice) is amongst its most popular cocktails (there are at least 154 listed).

Sold in more than 60 countries worldwide, the brand has gathered momentum worldwide following an aggressive and innovative marketing strategy by brand owner Mast-Jagermeister AG to internationalise the brand and make it appealing to a hip target audience.