From drunken bros to refined gentlemen: the rebranding of Jagermeister

Let’s just start by saying that I am NOT a fan of Jagermeister.  And not because I dislike the strong, licorice taste of the alcohol…but because back in my early 20s– I had one to many “Jaeger bombs” with my friends, and it was enough to turn me off the drink forever.

Likely, many of you have similar stories, or “know someone” who can tell you tales of drunken Jagermeister nights.  But, the drink, known best for being served as an ice cold shot in college bars around the globe, has been experiencing a relatively large decline in sales in recent years.  The company points to a “huge number of new products, extremely aggressive pricing by competitors and changing consumer trends” as the culprits for the falling sales numbers (Bouckley, 2015).

Not willing to go down without a fight, Jaegermeister execs decided a risky rebranding strategy was in order. While not willing to alienate the college frat boys who still demand Jager as a staple in their drinking repertoire, the company knew they needed to be able to tell a different story of the drink in order to bring in a more sophisticated…and paying… crowd.  So they hired a “very serious” german mixologist and sent him into upscale bars in big cities, like New York, to convince the bar owners to see Jaegermeister as more than a “shot” consumed by barely legal adults (Garrison, 2016).

It’s a huge risk to tell two stories about the same product, at the same time.  But, the company feels its a risk worth taking.  And right now, it seems to be paying off, at least a little.  In one of the upscale bars, drinks are being made with jagermeister as a key flavor ingredient, if not the star of the show, and  that’s a start (Garrison, 2016).

The Jagermeister website is perhaps the best visual depiction of this strategy.  (See if here: http://www.jagermeister.com/en-int/drinks/)

The Jagermeister shot is branded as a “classic” on the page, but you can also find “your” drink. In fact, my self-imposed Jager ban might be over…I think I just could be ready for a Jagerita.

References:

Bouckley, B. (2015).  Jagermeister sales bomb: ‘Extremely aggressive’ US pricing hits herbal liquor.  Retrieved from: http://www.beveragedaily.com/Manufacturers/Jaegermeister-sales-bomb-Extremely-aggressive-US-pricing-hits-herbal-liqueur

Garrison, M. (2016).  Inside an infamous company’s risky marketing strategy.  Retrieved from:  http://www.marketplace.org/2016/01/26/world/inside-infamous-company-s-risky-marketing-strategy