Diageo GTME says that throughout its 35-five year history, the Baileys brand has been recognised as 'a Christmas essential' and it is investing ?60m ($101m) in domestic markets to reinforce this position – despite the

economic climate – for the world's number one liqueur. Interestingly, it is also using GWPs to assist with this drive.

The company said: ‘The new Baileys Christmas campaign is strongly focused on gifting and utilises a simple but highly-effective symbol synonymous with Christmas – an elegant bow used in a range of colours. Each one litre bottle of Baileys has an elegant bow placed around the bottle neck. The bow colours are selected to align with the brand family: Original (red), Mint Chocolate (green), Cr?me Caramel (orange) and Coffee (bronze).’

Diageo adds that promotional activities will be aimed at stopping shoppers with off-shelf visibility in high traffic areas and seasonal space with gondola end and free-standing displays and it hopes to engage customers with out-of-store sampling and on shelf promotional material. It adds that the 'bow' creates a Christmas 'must-have' factor.

SPECIAL PACKS FOR GIFTING
The company added: ‘As part of the activity, Diageo has created special packs, appealing to female family and friends, to target the gifting market. There are two accessory gift packs – one featuring a stylish clutch bag and the other a luxurious but useful jewellery roll. Each elegantly understated gift is contained within a ready-to-gift presentation bag that also contains a 350ml bottle of Baileys Original Irish Cream.

‘The Baileys coffret set provides four miniature bottles (50ml) of each of the Baileys flavours, making it ideal as a 'stocking filler' or gift that is perfect for picking up on impulse.’

The seasonal campaign is being strongly supported in domestic markets by a ?60m ($101m) global media investment, which includes digital, TV and outdoor elements and this is being reinforced by in-store visibility, sampling and promotional activity.

Caroline Lyons, Diageo GTME Marketing Manager (White Spirits, Liqueurs and Rums) underlined the importance of the Christmas market for Baileys: ‘With almost 200m Baileys adorers and adopters across the world, Baileys is clearly an integral and long-established pleasure of the holiday season for many people – it simply isn't Christmas without Baileys.

‘In fact, Baileys is the iconic spirit brand that expresses Christmas more effectively than any other spirit brand and, with such extensive appeal across demographics, it is the ideal driver of Christmas sales in the liquor category. In particular, Baileys inspires an exceptionally high proportion of impulse purchases – up to 43% (GB Quantitative Study 2007) and that makes it a powerful presence for our retail partners to utilise at this key time of year.

CONSUMER SHOPPING BEHAVIOUR
‘The economic climate has affected shopper behaviour, but people are still intent on seeking items that will make Christmas special and the Baileys' bottles with bows and gift packs are ideal instant solutions for the shopper. Baileys has the heritage, quality and reliability that makes it an essential purchase and the shopper knows that it is a choice that will always be warmly welcomed and appreciated.’

The Baileys family was enlarged with the arrival of Baileys with a hint of Coffee in 2008 and the company says that the flavoured variants have proven to be 'exceptional drivers of footfall and conversion and consistently provoke exceptionally positive responses from shoppers', particularly through tastings.

Meanwhile, alongside the seasonal surge of Baileys Christmas activity, Diageo says that its total GTME team is now being deployed across the world to support its customers on Baileys Visibility Day -November 19 (this coming Thursday).

These activities across the regions will demonstrate and celebrate exciting ways in which to enjoy Baileys. Diageo GTME's Managing Director Phil Humphreys will be offering samples behind the bar at a major London airport location, while Caroline Lyons will take to the high seas to sample Baileys on the cruise ships.