Abstract

The case “Bacardi’s Tryst with Experiential Marketing to Woo Indian Millennials” discusses the nuances of the experiential marketing strategy adopted by one of the leading Indian alcohol beverages company, Bacardi India Private Limited (Bacardi), to attract millennials. As alcohol advertising in India was prohibited, Bacardi resorted to an experiential marketing strategy centered on music. Starting from the late 1990s, it held various events like music festivals and dance parties, which created the notion that Bacardi stood for a great musical experience. The case then provides details about Bacardi’s shift of focus to the independent artiste. From 2017, the company began providing a platform for independent artistes to create, develop, and promote their music. From there, Bacardi’s focus evolved to facilitating long-term collaborations directly with an artiste through digital media, in order to create a brand narrative through their voices. Bacardi’s experiential marketing strategy enabled it to overcome advertising restrictions and create a strong brand identity. Will Bacardi’s association with music enable it to keep attracting the coming generations?

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Examine how the limitations on alcohol advertising led to creative marketing campaigns.
• Study the nuances of surrogate advertising.
• Understand customer behavior to devise targeted marketing campaigns.
• Analyze the motto behind conducting an experiential campaign.
• Scrutinize the role played by experiential marketing in a company’s digital marketing strategy.

Keywords

Experiential marketing; Marketing communication; Millennials; Brand promotion; Digital marketing; Social media marketing; Indian advertising regulations; Brand association; Surrogate advertising; Consumer Behavior; External Influences; Cultural Influences on Consumer Behavior; Targeting; Brand Image; Music