SYDNEY: Television is losing its attractiveness as an advertising medium according to top executives at drinks company Bacardi, who have indicated an increasing focus on digital and social to reach their target audiences.
When asked if TV was becoming less relevant, Dima Ivanov, global CMO, replied: "I would agree with that and it is proven by the fact how much time the younger generation spend watching any TV program."
He allowed that sport might be an exception, "but I am definitely in the camp of people who think TV is less and less attractive than ever before," he told Mumbrella.
His colleague Denis Brown, managing director of Bacardi Lion Australia, outlined how brand thinking was evolving.
"We are heavy on experiential and getting heavier on digital," he explained. "Our mix is changing and we are moving away from the big TV advert type of idea."
In the Australian context, this will involve working more closely with bartenders, many of whom, he said, were "celebrities in their own right" and who had their own following on social channels.
"There are many cool bars in Sydney that have their own twist on drinks," he said. "It's very engaging trying to collaborate with the bars and staff."
For the future, he expected that some Bacardi brands would be "100% digital" and pointed to how the brand had partnered with chef Jamie Oliver's Drinks Tube platform as one way ahead.
"It was good because people don't search online for Bacardi cocktails," he said. "They search for 'how do you make a daiquiri' and with Jamie's profile around the world, it helps you get on the landing page."
Bacardi is also taking its first steps into programmatic with a limited initial investment of around $200,000.
"It makes logical sense for some of the people we are trying to track and to be more relevant in their lives," said Ivanov. "People are talking about programmatic and we want to head down a more digital path. But it is very much a pilot."
When asked if TV was becoming less relevant, Dima Ivanov, global CMO, replied: "I would agree with that and it is proven by the fact how much time the younger generation spend watching any TV program."
He allowed that sport might be an exception, "but I am definitely in the camp of people who think TV is less and less attractive than ever before," he told Mumbrella.
His colleague Denis Brown, managing director of Bacardi Lion Australia, outlined how brand thinking was evolving.
"We are heavy on experiential and getting heavier on digital," he explained. "Our mix is changing and we are moving away from the big TV advert type of idea."
In the Australian context, this will involve working more closely with bartenders, many of whom, he said, were "celebrities in their own right" and who had their own following on social channels.
"There are many cool bars in Sydney that have their own twist on drinks," he said. "It's very engaging trying to collaborate with the bars and staff."
For the future, he expected that some Bacardi brands would be "100% digital" and pointed to how the brand had partnered with chef Jamie Oliver's Drinks Tube platform as one way ahead.
"It was good because people don't search online for Bacardi cocktails," he said. "They search for 'how do you make a daiquiri' and with Jamie's profile around the world, it helps you get on the landing page."
Bacardi is also taking its first steps into programmatic with a limited initial investment of around $200,000.
"It makes logical sense for some of the people we are trying to track and to be more relevant in their lives," said Ivanov. "People are talking about programmatic and we want to head down a more digital path. But it is very much a pilot."
Data sourced from Mumbrella; additional content by Warc staff
