For the first time in its history, Jägermeister has rebranded itself. Because of the difference in cultures, it runs the risk of falling flat in Asia, much of Africa and South America.
The U.S. launch involves a creative platform, coined, “Be the Meister”, the new campaign encourages consumers to be meisters of their own lives, with the mantra, do what you do masterfully and you can live by your own rules. The repositioning draws from the distinct characteristics of Jägermeister’s heritage – spirited irreverence and product perfection – to transmit a unique side of the brand’s German provenance to the millennial audience.
“The re-launch celebrates the storied past and bright future of Jägermeister. Across every touch point, consumers will experience our irreverent spirit and commitment to crafted German perfection,” explains Chris Peddy, CMO, Mast-Jägermeister US. “The new identity marks an exciting time for the brand. It’s not the most expected direction, but then again, Jägermeister has never ran with the herd. Expected isn’t Jägermeister’s thing.”
Well, we shall see. The problem is there’s a fundamental difference in cultures between Germany and much of Asia, Africa and South America. Western Europeans, like Americans, like to celebrate the individual. Those other cultures are much more focused on the group. That being the case, we’d expect the campaign to fall flat in Asia, Africa and Latin American communities, both on the continents and among immigrants to Western cultures. Our opinion. And of course, we could be wrong.
The U.S. campaign kicks off with a national television commercial (TVC) that draws from the revelers of the underground bars and clubs of modern Berlin. With a bold and dark new look, the TVC is part of a multi-faceted communication campaign to both introduce the “Meister” concept as well as the key product benefit of the “Perfect Serve”.
The spot takes viewers on a journey into a whimsical German nightclub where the crowd is led in a toast by the ‘Meister of Cold’, played by supermodel, Nadja Auermann. Together they celebrate the herbal spirit, chilled to perfection at -18 degrees Celsius, before proceeding with a night of irreverent perfection.