Grey Goose Has A Stellar Marcom Team!

marketing and communications grey gooseThe most important common denominator in successful companies is the implementation of a successful Marcom (Marketing Communications) strategy. You can have the best product or service in your industry but if no one knows about it, or its benefits, it doesn’t matter. Companies who realize that Brand Awareness and Perception plays a big role in how successful a company is or isn’t, has an advantage over their competition.

We are #1 Because I Told You We Are #1

Here is a great example for you to noodle on. Let’s take the #1 selling premium vodka, Grey Goose. I am talking premium here people. Don’t start waving your fist at the screen wondering why I am not talking about Aristocrat. Listen up. Everyone knows that you will pay top dollar to purchase Grey Goose at a store or bar. But why? Because it is the best. Or at least the Grey Goose’s marketing and communications team tells you its the best. They have done a great job at re-branding themselves as the best premium vodka in the market…end of story. And most people buy off on this concept.

And The Results Are In

But when there are blind taste tests, Grey Goose sometimes is not even in the Top 5. But how can this be? I love my $12 Goose and Tonic! I would never get a rail vodka! Granted, taste is very subjective. But let’s assume that a noteworthy group, like the NY Times, knows how to conduct a legitimate blind vodka taste testing, see “A Humble Old Label Ices Its Rivals” article by Eric Asimov. Based upon our assumption that they conducted a fair taste testing and they considered subjective variables like everyone has different tastes. Their outcome was that Smirnoff took the top prize. Smirnoff is a middle of the road priced vodka (almost half the cost of Grey Goose). Where did Grey Goose finish? Not even in the Top Ten! Mr. Asimov stated “at the end of our tasting it was Smirnoff at the top of our list, ahead of many other names that are no doubt of higher status in stylish bars and lounges. Some of those names did not even make our Top 10. Grey Goose from France, one of the most popular vodkas, was felt to lack balance and seemed to have more than a touch of sweetness”. What a shocker! And to think you have been paying $4 extra for that Goose and Tonic when you could have gotten a better vodka at a cheaper price point.

It’s About The Strategy

Why this outcome? Grey Goose has a better marketing and communications strategy than probably any other spirit distillers in the market today, thus they are able to build the perception that they are the best (and definitely one of the most expensive) vodkas in the market today. Perception has made this mediocre vodka into a very successful and wealthy brand. Chalk one up for Marcom!