It’s Cinco de Mayo and as I wonder about Absolut sales I realize we’ll probably never really know - only Pernod knows…
I wasn’t going to post about the “Absolut World” ad Campaign again, but since it is Cinco de mayo today I couldn’t resist checking in on it. As I expected the negative posts about the Ad run in Mexico are slowing. [i.e. There were only 13 posts on their site yesterday VS 26 posts last Sunday, and actually only 6 posts so far today.]
Last week I stopped by the local package store and asked if Absolut sales had been affected. I was told that one customer had actually brought the ad in and complained and given the owner numbers to call and protest, but nothing had happened.
I tried to get my hands on some actual sales data to see what impact if any the ‘fiasco’ had on sales here in the US. Unfortunately I was unsuccessful in getting my hands on any sales level data. Alcohol sales data is notoriously bad anyway. This is partly due to the fact that our blue laws make the market so hard to track. In some states Nielsen is able to track sales in grocery stores or pharmacies using their scanner method. But there are huge holes where no data are available. In an attempt to create a business around these holes market researchers in the liquor industry rely on store audit data. However, this data is highly suspect as those conducting the store audits are rather sloppy. Because of this it would have been difficult for me to say with any certainty what the real effect on sales if any had been even with this data.
In any case, perhaps what would be more interesting would be to see how Absolut benefited from this in Mexico, or even in other countries. With Anti-American sentiment being so high these days it is interesting to ponder whether whatever marginal negative impact the ad blunder had here in the US was more than made up for abroad?
So I’m wondering how many Corona, how many Tequila and how many Absolut will be ordered today? What will be your choice?
-Tom
6 responses so far ↓
1 Prtyg82 // May 5, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Love this independence holiday. I’m starting with a tequila, then perhaps an Absolut, followed by a few Coronas!
2 Just crossing by // May 5, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Mexican independence day??? Cinco de Mayo??? (May 5th???) My God! Just by reading that first line I can know for sure that you know nothing about history. Please read first, and then you will have the right of “speaking”, “blogging” or writing. By the way, I liked the Absolut ad, it was meant for Mexico, so I find it no offensive, I´ve find it funny, … but I understand also that it wasn´t meant for an US market, so ….. I really don´t know what will really happen with the US market . Read - learn - give your opinion .
3 Tom H C Anderson // May 5, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Thanks Crossing. Will read more about Cinco de Mayo. On this side of the border it’s the only Mexican holiday we know about. Here it’s Cinco de Mayo = Corona, all most of us need to know, and I think Corona agrees
4 Just crossing by // May 5, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Dear Tom: I think your own words explain the “mistake ” (if there is any) of Absolut: this side vs. that side. In a Global Age, there should be no sides, or there is a big problem in stopping and respecting any border. The ad was made in a local media, intended for a mexican point of view and sense of humor. And it was good. The US market definitely won´t accept it, won´t understand it, and have not sense of humor (in general) to watch it and let it go: they are in ” that side”. The ad shouldn´t have spread, but it did, and you Tom are trying to figure out the impact of it, for marketing reasons I guess. And about Cinco de Mayo, commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. September 16th is the Independence Day (like the 4th of July, in that side) Good Luck
5 Just crossing by // May 5, 2008 at 7:45 pm
And ….. answering the real question, I think I should drink a “caballito” of Viuda de Romero (a brand of tequila) with sangrita , unfortunately I don´t drink, so … no beer, no tequila, no Absolut Vainilia
6 Anonymous // May 5, 2008 at 9:11 pm
What you say about questionable market research data in this industry is very true. Also they are generally behind CPG consumer insights in terms of other research as well.
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