Mansion House, the flagship brand of liquor company Tilaknagar Industries, is back with a campaign for World Brandy Day, celebrated on the second Friday of December every year.
Mansion House Flandy’s ‘Welcome the Now’ campaign responds to the insights of the evolving definition of youthfulness and the desire for meaningful connections, especially across generations.
Today’s young individuals are not confined to their age brackets – they are inclusive, accepting, and eager to learn from and contribute to the experiences of all generations, Ahmed Rahimtoola, chief marketing officer of Mumbai-based Tilaknagar Industries, said in an interview. Edited excerpts:
Tell us about the campaign. What kind of impact is Mansion House Flandy (a flavoured brandy) trying to create with this campaign?
The ‘Welcome the Now’ campaign seamlessly extends from the mother brand Mansion House’s core proposition of a warm welcome.
The campaign by Mansion House Flandy is not just about selling a drink – it’s about creating a movement that encourages people to live in the present moment. The impact goes beyond the glass. It’s about fostering connections, particularly between different generations.
The campaign aims to break stereotypes, bridge generational divides, and celebrate shared wisdom. Through the music video, Mansion House Flandy wants to inspire a sense of spontaneity and simplicity, urging individuals to embrace intergenerational friendships and savour the richness of every moment. It’s an invitation to a dynamic, inclusive, and purposeful world that reflects the essence of the brand – welcoming the now with open arms.
Why now? How does the campaign complement the brand’s mission?
The timing of the campaign, especially with the launch of the Flandy music anthem and video, is a strategic move to leverage the significant occasion of World Brandy Day. Mansion House Flandy recognises the opportunity to disrupt the narrative and introduce a message that goes beyond the conventional. World Brandy Day serves as the perfect stage for this disruption, allowing the brand to redefine the conversation in the spirits industry.
The campaign is Mansion House Flandy’s heartfelt reciprocation to the vibrant communities of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. These regions have long embraced Mansion House as an integral part of their social fabric. The music video serves as our token of appreciation and love, a way of giving back to the people who have made the mother brand Mansion House a cornerstone of their social lives.
The video is a cultural ode to the ethos of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, where intergenerational connectedness is a cherished value. It captures the camaraderie shared across generations, mirroring the warmth and inclusivity inherent in the local culture.
Which are the agencies that Mansion House Flandy collaborated with?
‘Welcome the Now’ is the foundation of the entire creative idea and vision. But there’s more to it than the simple name.
The concept of intergenerational friendship was woven into reality through a music anthem and video: a tango of creativity and innovation – a seamless collaboration between StoryBoats, our strategic agency partner, and Big Bang Music and Collective Artist Network, the creative partners on the project.
It’s not just an intergenerational friendship, it’s the magic of ‘inter-agency collaboration’ where two strategic and creative juggernauts merge their talents, each adding its unique colour to the canvas.
What consumer insights did Mansion House leverage during the making of the campaign?
One pivotal insight revolves around the desire for meaningful connections, especially across generations. We observed a growing need for experiences that bridge the gap between different age groups, fostering shared wisdom and breaking stereotypes.
The campaign also responds to a crucial insight in the contemporary marketing landscape – the evolving definition of youthfulness. Rather than adhering to a narrow portrayal of youth, which often alienates other age groups, Mansion House Flandy recognises youthfulness as a state of mind. In the vibrant culture of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and indeed across the globe, today’s young individuals are not just confined to their age brackets – they are inclusive, accepting, and eager to learn from and contribute to the experiences of all generations.
In essence, ‘Welcome the Now’ is a portrayal of the truth that young people today are catalysts for inclusivity, breaking free from stereotypes that confine generations. The campaign aligns with the cultural reality that the youth of today are not the ones to alienate a generation; instead, they embrace the richness that comes from shared experiences, wisdom, and connections.
The insight here is not just about enjoying a beverage – it’s about celebrating life together, creating moments that endure.
How has 2023 looked for Mansion House and what does the report card look like?
In FY23, Tilaknagar Industries had grown by 43 percent against an industry growth of 12 percent. The growth momentum continued in H1 of FY24 in which Tilaknagar Industries has grown by 28 percent against an industry growth of 3-4 percent. This growth has been on the back of the Mansion House franchise, which has been at the forefront of driving category expansion and innovation. Mansion House, our flagship brand, has already crossed the 4 million cases mark in H1 and now contributes to almost 10 percent of the brandy market in India.
Mansion House Flandy, a category-first innovation that is targeting a younger demographic, is making headway in the markets where it has been launched… Most of Mansion Flandy volumes are coming from consumers of beer and whisky, which in a way is helping our mission of category expansion.
What plans for 2024?
As a brandy-first company, our top priority in the near future continues to be to drive category expansion within the brandy category. This will be on the back of investments in building a positive narrative for the category through the Mansion House franchise, extending Mansion House Flandy and our recently launched premium offering Mansion House Chambers to newer markets and identifying price gaps within the brandy category to plug with new offerings.
Also on the cards in calendar 2024 is a concerted plan towards regional and category diversification.