Jagermeister - An Ice Cold Brand Position

Image: drinkpreneur.com

In keeping to the theme of Calling Brands or Generic Brand Name in this installment we will discuss : 

Jagermeister

A big brand for 800 words - Lets Go!

Today we will explore the how Jagermeister has positioned itself so well against its competition, identify the competition and understand the differentiation that has been implemented by Jagermeister to make them market leaders.

As you read that 1 word synonymous with a big night of partying or to help settle your dinner(well, that’s why it is called a digestive) you silently cringe internally, with a smile on your face.

Jagermeister, that sticky, black,brown liquid that tastes like a mouthful of herbs and stuff. Well, 56 herbs and spices to be exact and the recipe is a closely guarded secret – point 1 for Jager! 
Create the mysticism, the story, part of the brands DNA. The recipe has never changed, so they say!

So how has Jagermeister positioned itself so well against its competition to make it the market leader in the digestive category? What have they done so well that you go to the bar and say “Hey, Bartender, give us a round of Jager!” not a round of Digestives?

Firstly, in order to understand what they have done well, we need to understand who they have done it well against. Probably the 2 most common names bar Jagermeister, that come to mind are Fernet Branca and Underberg. I’m not brand bashing here, just calling it as I see it.

Images: Thedrinkshop.com

All 3 packages are unique, but as they are unique this could also be viewed as a point of parity not differentiation as it is a Unique Feature for all.
All 3 products are similar in taste and look – again parity
They are not all drunk the same way. Although they are all digestives which are supposed help with digestion post meal, only Jager has really driven home its drinking strategy.
“ICE COLD SHOTS”

So what is Jagermeister’s point of difference that makes it unique:

1)    The Drinking Ritual – No one will ever accept a warm Jagermeister shot.

2)    The Point of Sale –Jagermeister rewards its consumers with Point of Sale such as sunglasses, keyring’s, shot glasses etc etc the list is endless, always in the signature black and orange colours. These freebies have created a cult following starting with those who have just started drinking(legally of course) to the older age groups. Everyone loves Jagermeister freebies because they are high quality and are referenced as cool and trendy.
To understand how powerful these have become we only have to go as far as the online Jager Shop  to see all your favourite goodies!

3)    Another drinking ritual that elevated Jagermeister to new heights is the infamous JagerBomb!

Although never endorsed by Jagermeister officially this shot achieved cult status almost over night and is still ordered to this day.

4)    Associations: Jagermeister understands that it has to convert and capture its audience as soon as possible, thus they get involved with trendy music festivals around the world normally rock themed. In South Africa they get behind the music festival OppiKoppi!

Aaker, 2004:138) defines a brand differentiator as: 

“a branded feature, ingredient, service or program that creates a point of differentiation for a branded offering that is meaningful for customers and merits active management of an extended time period.”

I believe that Jagermeister ticks all the brand differentiator boxes.

The Feature - The Theater, the show that goes along with all Jagermeister branding and activation's

The Ingredient - 56 Secret Ingredients

The Program - Ice Cold Shots and Be The Meister

And in providing these, Jagermeister provides a long, emotional, meaningful experience to its consumers that will provide the brand with longevity.

Now we can analyze the brands positioning after understanding its differentiation:

Here is where it gets interesting. After nearly 80 years of being a market leader, Jagermeister has understood that being current and relevant are critical in being a market leader. Thus in 2017 they unveiled the FIRST, yes, FIRST Brand Image and Positioning Makeover in their history. This is in an attempt to taper down the college style messy drinking association and make it more attractive to millennials.

In an interview with Jagermeisters CMO, Chris Peddy, Partner, Julian Shiff & Managing Director, Opperman Weiss, Diverge asked the following questions:

This is your first major brand repositioning – why now? And will this new identity/positioning play out globally following the US launch? If so, how?

Peddy: The re-launch celebrates the storied past and bright future of Jägermeister. As the brand continues to evolve, we thought the rebrand was necessary to keep Jägermeister at the forefront with consumers. For now, the new identity will target the US market with plans to expand globally in the future.

The New Campaign “Be the Meister” speaks to the individual being the master if their own destiny.

What was your strategy behind Jägermeister’s new positioning, and tag, “Be The Meister”? What does it mean to be a true “meister”?

Weiss: Jägermeister has a core belief in mastery.  Like most German brands, they are all about perfection.  But as a spirits brand, Jägermeister’s take on mastery is a little different to say, Mercedes. It is irreverent.

Jagermeister believes that if you do what you do masterfully you can live by your own rules.

The ‘Be the Meister’ campaign sets out to challenge consumers to live their lives masterfully outside of convention and goes on to celebrate those who do.

This speaks to a wider audience than the original bromance that was Jagers positioning.

By staying current through exceptional differentiation tactics and strong brand positioning, Jagermeister is ensuring its longevity and spot on the top of the Digestive and Shot Markets.

Go on, Be The Meister with an Ice Cold Shot!

Image: Marketingweek.com