How are you enjoying your visit to SA?" asked the Springbok supporter after my son and I had belted out the Irish rugby anthem before the SA-Ireland test match at Ellis Parkin 2016. "Is this your first time here?"
"Yes, it is," I replied with a false Dublin brogue, "and we’re having a wonderful time."
James and I are not Irish, but sang Ireland’s Call because it’s a great song. The false accent was because our welcoming new friend and his pals had smuggled in armfuls of Amarula liqueur miniatures and were intent on sharing their bounty with Irish visitors. Heavily outnumbered (and thirsty), who were we to disabuse them?
"This is what Africa tastes like," said one of them as another miniature was passed our way.
It’s a sentiment that Amarula global GM Dino D’Araujo is pleased to hear. For while Amarula is a South African drink, it’s marketed outside the country as African. Even the ambassador for the brand’s conservation trust is Kenyan.
Amarula is made from the berries of the marula tree. D’Araujo says the old image of berries being harvested by hand still holds true. Marula trees grow only in the wild and members of rural communities do the picking.
The past year has been a challenging one for Amarula. Its main markets are emerging ones, many in Africa and South America, where economic slowdown has cut disposable consumer income. This has been offset by growth in Europe and North America, but D’Araujo says overall sales this year have been "flat at best".
That’s why a new marketing campaign is so important. Ad agency FCB Cape Town created a global campaign featuring African vistas, communities, music and fashion.
The agency is also part of the team, along with domestic specialist filmmaker Deep VR, commissioned to produce a virtual reality tour of Africa that will allow consumers around the world to get a sense of Africa.
"Virtual reality is a phenomenal way to transport people to a different place, to experience Africa’s inspiration and beauty," says D’Araujo.
"If, after experiencing Africa in 3D, consumers are unable to make the trip to the continent, the best way to experience Africa is to taste it, with a tall glass of Amarula."
The brand, part of the Distell drinks group, has also redesigned its bottle, which it says is "inspired by the shape of an African elephant".
Elephant conservation is a core recipient of financial and research support from the Amarula Trust. However, the trust’s global ambassador is Kenyan: renowned conservationist Paula Kahumbu.
"We have close links with South African conservationists, but the slaughter of elephants is an Africa-wide problem. Paula has put a spotlight on the issue and now we are beating the drum," D’Araujo says
There is more loyalty for brands that take an authentic stand. There is a deeper emotional attachment... Our involvement goes beyond simply being a corporate responsibility project. It is at the heart of the Amarula brand ethos and our target audience will recognise this
— Dino D’Araujo
Amarula global GM
It does no harm to be associated with such an emotive subject. Market research shows consumers, particularly in the northern hemisphere, look kindly on brands seen to act positively on environmental issues.
"There is more loyalty for brands that take an authentic stand," says D’Araujo. "There is a deeper emotional attachment.
"Our involvement goes beyond simply being a corporate responsibility project. It is at the heart of the Amarula brand ethos and our target audience will recognise this."
However, he insists that profit is not the main motive for the Amarula Trust’s activities. "Africa’s elephant population is being decimated. We want the rest of the world to know what’s going on."
Amarula started life in 1983 as a clear spirit, before changing to a cream liqueur in 1989. It was another five years before the brand was confident enough to start exports. Today, these dominate. Only about 30% of Amarula volume is sold in SA.
There is no single consumer profile. In South America, drinkers tend to be in their mid-20s. In Germany, a growing market, they are older. Women are an important component of sales everywhere.
"We define our target market by mind-set rather than demographics. For example, Quebec, in Canada, has fallen in love with Amarula. People there drink it almost exclusively in their coffee. We’re not sure why it’s so popular in Quebec, but we’re not complaining," says D’Araujo.
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