Opportunity in Nigerian market is attractive says Bisquit Cognac brand ambassador

Loïc Rakotomalala, global brand ambassador for Bisquit Cognac was in Nigeria last week for the first time to support  marketing of the spirit drink in the country. In this interview, he explained the rationale behind the launching in Nigeria of the 1819 old brand from France and  its  strategies  to compete and gain some sizeable market share in the Nigerian wine and spirit market.

What informed the House of Bisquit’s decision to re-focus on Bisquit cognac marketing in Nigeria at this time?

Following  Nigerian launch in 2012, the House of Bisquit is increasing its marketing activity to entrench  brand presence in Nigeria and to also avail customers an experience with their favorite cognac. The House of Bisquit also wants to provide cognac connoisseurs an opportunity to sample Bisquits’ range of cognacs. As brand ambassador, I feel proud to be in Nigeria because the country is one of the important markets for Bisquit in terms of sales. The Nigerian middle class is expanding rapidly, one of the fastest growing in sub-Saharan Africa.

The House of Bisquit, with history of producing some of the finest drinks in the market, has recognised this opportunity and is growing its presence in Nigeria, seeking innovative ways of connecting with cognac connoisseurs to delight them and enhance the value that they derive from savouring Bisquit Cognac.  All the people we are meeting here and their preference for the brand are a confirmation of our belief in the economy. I have been the brand ambassador for one year but I have been in the business for 15 years.

What competitive advantage does House of Bisquit possess above other brands in the market?Bisquit Cognac is a smooth blend, but what sets it apart from the others is the ultimate satisfaction, which is subtle with floral and woody flavours. It is said to have been one of the favourite Cognacs of Winston Churchill and King George IV. It is distilled for longer, thus delivering a more generous taste and superior quality to a discerning palate. We are very specific and particular within our range of Bisquit Cognac. The product is easy to drink and the main characteristics are the smoothness and freshness. The long distillation is our heritage because we know that from the beginning, long distillation has always been the trend in the house of Bisquit.

What did your research show before you decided to enter into the Nigerian Market?

We have been in Nigeria for a long time working with local distributor on a variety of brands and segments. Being here we have realized over the last few years the growth of Cognac. It is growing at over 10 percent. We held focus groups in Lagos and Abuja and we understood from them what they enjoy about the brand and how they perceive the positioning of the brand. We were also able to understand the target market.

What plans to activate the brand in the Nigerian Market?

The key thing is interaction with the media to sensitise the Nigerian market on the product. We are also adopting a global trend by organizing a fine dining experience in specific areas and we are targeting the elite, middle class and average consumer by providing them with a unique experience. We would also be activating in various channels to create brand visibility. We have a comprehence plan on how we intend to market the product to bring Bisquit taste to Nigerians.  Strategies to sustain the brand growth in Nigeria include  our ability to increase distribution and availability working with partners. Most important is the consumer, engaging and talking with right consumer. We will then follow with the right activation. We will continuously try different angles of marketing until we are satisfied but the key thing is targeting and marketing to the right consumers.

What is the rationale of the fine dining event in Nigeria?   

The House of Bisquit is bringing the pop-up restaurant culture which is catching on across the globe by launching Le Griffon as a four-night pop-up fine-dining experience in Lagos. It is basically to engage consumers. The pop-up restaurant, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria, focuses on increasing House of Bisquit’s presence in the Nigerian market and also avails Cognac connoisseurs the opportunity to savour the unique and exclusive experience of Bisquit Cognac.

What is the opportunity of the brand’s growth in Nigeria market?

One of the philosophies of the managers of the brand is openness to the world. The founder of the Bisquit was one of the recognized arts collectors in Europe and to develop his collection, he traveled all over the world. He applied this philosophy of openness to the house of Bisquit by marketing the brand around the world. Nigeria is number 14 most important market in terms of sales of Cognac brands. The opportunity in the market is highly attractive for Bisquit Cognac. We officially launched the brand into the Nigerian market last year, though it has been around and it has potential to grow in the Nigerian market.

How do you protect your brand from adulteration in different markets?

We work on that all the time and firstly we have a special and well designed bottle that is hard to copy and we have different features which are special to the brand to be used to identify it. We are working on corks and we are working with different companies all over the world to protect our brand.

What does being the brand ambassador of a premium product entail?

Previously I was a sales person for Bisquit product which was totally different role. I am proud to work for Bisquit because it is important product in the world. For me it is a passion and I am loyal to the brand. I have the responsibility to promote the brand and also visit markets and support sales departments and interact with people on Bisquit. I am also charged with the responsibility of  hosting international guests in Cognac and presenting the Bisquit experience, visiting Bisquit’s international markets to host tastings and events, building and accompanying the House’s network of on-trade accounts and managing the Château Bisquit, among other key missions.

 Do you have plans to build a local brand ambassador for the brand?

As  global brand ambassador  I represent Bisquit all over the world, bringing experience of different market  but in Nigeria there is a team on the product but asd the global brand ambassador I  help to provide the training and the understanding which the local brand team learns and utilize  as we engage with the trade. Nigeria is the biggest marketing country in Africa and we want to ensure that consumers have passion and understanding of Cognac both from consumption and purchase point of view. The opportunity is big for us to be in the market.