The Brand That Was Never Advertised

Sai Deepak Konreddy | Executive Member | Crowd Core Marketing Club

When it comes to top Indian rum brands, Old Monk is the very first moniker that springs immediately to mind. But do you know that it was never advertised!

India's alcohol business is the world's third-biggest, at $35 billion, and is expected to grow by 25% to $41 billion by 2022. In such a huge market “Old Monk” was an undisputed leader among the rum segment and one of the largest IMFL.

History:

The origins of Old Monk rum may be traced back to British India around 1855. Edward Abraham Dyer, the father of Colonel Reginald Edward Harry Dyer of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, established a brewery to meet the British need for inexpensive beer. The brewery is in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, and it has since changed ownership to become Mohan Meakin Pvt. Ltd.

The name “Old Monk” was inspired by the Benedictine monks and their style of brewing drinks in mountains and the term “Old” depicts the quality of the rum. It was created by Mohan then managing director of the firm and it was launched in 1954, with an alcohol content of 42.8 %.

Competition:

Old Monk’s major significant competitor was Mc Dowell’s Celebration rum. Old Monk was a best-selling brand until 2002 and Celebration rum was selling less than half of Old Monk. But post-2002, Old Monk has hit a rough patch. This was the time when its competitor started spending more money on advertising. By 2005, Celebration rum sales were past Old Monk and six years later Celebration was selling 11 million cases whereas Old Monk only selling 3 million cases.

In the year 2014, Old Monk has posted a loss of approximately 20 crores and in 2017 there were rumors of an intermittent shutdown of Old Monk, but the board shut these rumors off.

Turn Around:

It was in the year 2018, Old Monk launched its ready to drink range where it started to blend different flavors of its rum namely: Cranberry, Cola, Orange, and Mojito along with its other variants such as Supreme Rum, Gold Reserve Rum, XXX Rum, Deluxe XXX Rum, White Rum, Legend, Limited Edition, and The Connoisseur Collection.

But still, the brand did not invest in advertising.

How did the brand triumph without advertising? :

Several variables have played a role, including the constancy of the brand's identity, the distinctive container, and the pieces that make up the identity. Furthermore, the logo, typeface, and package features have remained mostly unchanged throughout time, which is a big plus for simple recognition and discreetly conveying the impression of being stable across the period.

Powerful imagery attributable to its apparent popularity within the Armed Forces for years, where off-duty rituals are also carried down as a custom of the elders, making its traditional and indigenous birth extremely distinctive, in addition to having a wider appeal. Its physical availability improved throughout time, from the so-called "Original" available solely in Military Canteens to today being readily accessible, helping to spread its legacy.

Another factor being to the growing prosperity of India's middle class would propel the $33 billion spirits sector to annual growth of up to 10%. Alcohol drinking has become more socially acceptable in recent years due to a significant shift in views and lifestyle. This acceptance of alcohol extends to drinking in the home, during social gatherings, and by women and teenagers. The growing acceptance and shifting societal standards have increased the alcohol beverage sector's expansion substantially.

As per research, the rising use of alcohol in India is a significant driver in the alcoholic drinks industry, owing to increasing urbanization and favorable demographics in the nation. A large portion of India's population is relocating to larger cities, where they are exposed to a greater range of alcoholic beverage products, including IMFL, and so contribute considerably to market growth. More than 55 percent of Indians are between the ages of 18 and 45, making India a young country. The industry targets this age group as prospective customers.

Old Monk is available in six size variants 90ml, 180ml, 375 ml, 500 ml, and 1-liter bottle combined with its affordable price and superior taste and quality.

It was word of mouth and its quality which made Old Monk standout in the era of digital advertising, and it has a market valuation of over 400 crores currently. It remains to be seen if such efforts produce fruit in the long run, or whether Old Monk maintains his monk-like serene carelessness as it looks into a chasm of nothingness.

PS: The writer nor the owners/members of the blog, doesn’t encourage the readers to consume alcohol. Alcohol is injurious to health and please don’t drink and drive!