Another kind of high

Even without advertising, liquor brands find their way into the Indian consumer's mind.

The last time we checked, the "return gift" was a pencil box, or rubber mask, or even some chocolates. But this is Jack Daniels' birthday, no less, and the return gift must be that much more exciting... how does a trip to America to participate in a NASCAR rally grab you?

Jack Daniels is not the only liquor brand doling out big-ticket freebies to consumers. Black Dog recently gave away a car specially designed by Dilip Chhabria as part of the brand's centenary celebrations. Finlandia vodka is taking a few chosen ones to Finland for a visit to its distillery "" and chance to toast the midnight sun.

In the liquor market, from a global perspective, it's business as usual. Says Amrit Kiran Singh, vice-president and area director, Brown-Forman, "Every year, Jack's birthday is celebrated around the world, and this time we decided to give Indian consumers a taste of the celebrations."

Less bombastic promotions are there too, taking place at trendy pubs and bars across the country. There are contests, mini-shows, give-aways and all manner of brand hoopla, designed to get the brand message across to an interested audience (at pubs, an easy assumption to make) in a way that's more pleasureable than intrusive.

Usually, such promotional activity surrounds the launch of a new brand that must make its mark in the country and snuggle its way into people's liquor cabinets. But with competition so intense, and advertising so hush-hush, several brands have taken to sustained promotions.

The good news is that on the ground, the market's upper-end is reported to be receptive to new brand propositions "" so long as there's a novelty factor, no matter how angelic or impish. And some sort of "high", perhaps, too. As the Jack Daniels ad tagline says, "Jack Daniels was no saint, but he did start something of a religion."

Huh... beg your pardon?