Cloud 9’s Marketing Mantra
Cloud 9 is comparatively a young product in the market and the consumers are already bubbling with excitement about this exciting new beverage which has garnered a substantial following with India’s youth and adults alike. Many wonder, how did we do it? So here it goes. We have a smart ‘Marketing Plan’ with an eye on the future – a future where an Indian Energy Drink will compete with the strongest contenders from across the globe.
Here are some of our Marketing Maneuvers:
Ready, Set, Launch
We organised the pre-launch meet at Sahara Star on 11th September. Hundreds of retailers and stockists gathered to get their first taste of Cloud 9. The event was a runaway hit. The show began with a series of technical presentations and ended with a luxurious gala of entertainment and fine dining. By the end of the evening, the venue was buzzing with enquiries and everyone was eager to associate themselves with Cloud 9. It was the perfect way to start off on a ‘New High’.
Pomegranate was launched by Shilpa Shetty at a glittering launch party at JW Marriot followed by a massive outdoor campaign for Cloud 9 using teasers like “Drive for 30 hrs with Cloud 9”. For the launch of ‘Cloud 9 Premium’, our latest Energy Drink variant, we repeated the outdoor and on-air campaign with similar success. We supported the launch with exciting danglers, posters and shop signages which are visible across the city.
We also used Promotional & Merchandising Material for retails as well as star properties, and conducted sampling activities at all major events and activities which helped create brand recognition and aided in boosting the popularity of the product and left scores asking for more.
Consolidating the Success
After the launch of "Cloud 9", we consolidated on its initial success through a full-fledged promotional campaign across the paradigm of popular mediums, including electronic, print and OOH. We also experimented successfully with innovative and radical new marketing and promotional resources that were propelled by technology and boosted by popular demand.
Our marketing strategy looks at marketing as an entire 360 degree solution, which includes innovative branding, ranging from movies to sports, including the IPL and Bollywood Blockbusters. We have an experienced and dedicated distribution team across the nation, which personally monitors market segments like malls, multiplexes, retail, 5 Star hotels and restaurants, pubs, discotheques, gym, spas, cafes and airlines. Each tie-up is supported with Promotional & Merchandising Materials, loyalty programmes and consumer offers etcetera.
We also have a strong and innovative marketing strategy, which is effectively backed up by the popular brand campaign, i.e. ‘Breaking News – Drink and Drive, but only Cloud 9’ and multicity on-ground activations through mobile vans that has helped create a beeline of curious customers and media to the product, among many others.
The Company has also ensured that the brand reaches out to one and all. Visibility and penetration was ensured from various exhibitions, road shows and events in malls & colleges. Cloud 9 has successfully partnered with major properties through cross promotional activities for movies like De Dana Dan, Veer, Paathshala, Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai, House Full, Rajneeti and Patiala House, and the successful partnership with the renowned photographer Manish Chaturvedi by way of a calendar launch that helped create brand awareness and recall.
In addition, the Company sponsored many mega events and award functions, including a cricket match at Mumbai’s Andheri Sports Complex, which received a thumbs-up from all parties. Moreover, Cloud 9 was the official energy drink partner for the IPL T20 team, Chennai Super Kings for Season 2, captained by the Indian Cricket Team Captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and used star players like, Dhoni, Hayden, Stephen Fleming, Raina, Parthiv Patel, Badrinath and others in our on-air and outdoor advertisements, which helped Cloud 9 connect to its consumer base and target audience. RP Singh was the brand ambassador for our outdoor and on-air ad campaign for Red Grapes and Wild Berry.
The Young and the Thirsty
Our target audiences are primarily the youth and our marketing strategy has hit the bull’s-eye with this group. We have already started promoting our publicity material in coffee joints and pubs, which are performing extremely well.
Soon our activities in mega malls with radio as support media will be initiated. We were present at all major college festivals in the city and have tasted success with the free distribution of “Cloud 9” in colleges and other educational institutions.
Even though we target club patrons; everyone who needs energy to boost their stamina and concentration to carry on with their daily life is as much our target audience as the club patrons are. It might include youngsters preparing for their exams to a business professional looking for that extra boost of energy at work, and even an athlete pushing himself to the full extent of his/her stamina and endurance.
Cloud 9’s Energy Route
We launched the drink first in Mumbai and soon the entire nation was rising up in unison for Cloud 9. We are truly on Cloud 9 now!
