For two months this summer I shall be based in Nicaragua. Nicaragua is a mostly undiscovered country in Central America, one of scenic wonders and high economic potential. I am doing work with the largest company group of the region, Grupo Pellas. Among its wide portfolio of successful businesses is Flor de Caña – the world’s most awarded rum.
Flor de Caña rum was born in 1890 in Nicaragua. During the last 15 years the total transformation of the brand was accomplished, becoming the World’s Most Awarded Rum. The company challenged the industry and old-fashion marketing practices, to enable Flor de Caña to grow from a local product to a premium global one. Today, it is a global brand with presence in over 50 countries on five continents, continuously re-imagining industry boundaries. Flor de Caña Rums are handcrafted using only the finest ingredients and a proprietary, natural Slow-Aged™ method that guarantees a rum with incredibly smooth taste.
Flor de Caña’s world-conquering strategy is a strong confirmation of the 3 key Slingshot principles:
- Creating strong emotional connection with customers – through drinking differentiation of touching and smelling the rum. Pour a few drops of Flor de Caña on your hand and discover that there is no sugar added and the rum smells like wood due to its slow aging process.
- Finding fresh combinations of existing components to drive innovation – by placing the product in unusual venues such as Tommy Hilfiger stores or Movistar fairs, and creating new consumption occassions: Mixtronomy TM (Mixology+Gastronomy), a program of perfect pairing where top chefs & mixologists craft a menu of gourmet food with Flor de Caña cocktails (e.g., mixing Centenario 18 with an orange twist and a piece of chocolate after dinner)
- Expanding the customer relevance – Flor de Caña is a brand with equal gender appeal, positioned as having the character of bringing people together socially.
