 "ABD looks to strengthen branding before IPO")
Kishore Chhabria-led Allied Blenders and Distillers (ABD) has entered into an agreement with Indian Football Association (IFA) under which the group's whisky brand Officer's Choice Blue will be the title sponsor for the Calcutta Football League Premier Division-A for the next four seasons.
Analysts say that it is a normal exercise for a company to indulge in branding exercise before it goes for a public offering. Sports is high potential area for branding. Bikram Basu, COO, Sales & Marketing, ABD echoed that. "Football is sure to regain its eminence and trend as major sport, the Calcutta Footbal League is one of India's premier tournaments and Officer's Choice Blue takes pride in this association," said Basu.
The company will also indulge in other forms of advertising ,like out door campaigning and consumer presentation. The company which is planning to go public with around Rs 1,000-crore issue over the next 18 months, has recently roped in Anupam Datta, a veteran marketer and the man behind the successful launch of the Reliance Industries-promoted football league, the Indian Super League, as the new managing director and chief executive officer.
Nationally, for FY 15, ABD reported a 29 per cent jump in sales at 32 million cases, up from 25 million cases in 2013-14, led by its marquee brand Officer's Choice, while the domestic liquor industry barely managed to post a paltry 3 per cent sales growth.
Analysts say that it is a normal exercise for a company to indulge in branding exercise before it goes for a public offering. Sports is high potential area for branding. Bikram Basu, COO, Sales & Marketing, ABD echoed that. "Football is sure to regain its eminence and trend as major sport, the Calcutta Footbal League is one of India's premier tournaments and Officer's Choice Blue takes pride in this association," said Basu.
The company will also indulge in other forms of advertising ,like out door campaigning and consumer presentation. The company which is planning to go public with around Rs 1,000-crore issue over the next 18 months, has recently roped in Anupam Datta, a veteran marketer and the man behind the successful launch of the Reliance Industries-promoted football league, the Indian Super League, as the new managing director and chief executive officer.
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Tying up with a premier football tournament of eastern India also makes business sense for ABD as the region has always been one of the best performing for the company. When the industry declined by 1 per cent, ABD is said to have clocked a growth of 21 percent in the region. The company sold 85 lakh cases in the region last fiscal and targets a sale of 110 million cases in the current fiscal.
Nationally, for FY 15, ABD reported a 29 per cent jump in sales at 32 million cases, up from 25 million cases in 2013-14, led by its marquee brand Officer's Choice, while the domestic liquor industry barely managed to post a paltry 3 per cent sales growth.