By Ian Ortega & Philippa Nantamu
This is a final follow-up article to ‘Lessons in Competitive Strategy-How UBL Reclaimed its Top Position.’ We’ve singled out Bell Lager as the flag-ship brand for Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) and how it can be repositioned for success.
For starters, Bell Lager holds two facts to its name, it’s Uganda’s First Beer (first brewed in 1950) and this ultimately makes it also Uganda’s oldest beer. Thus, any attempt to position Bell Lager must start on this base. Let’s call this the core identity of Bell Lager. We can start to allude certain things, that Bell Lager is the brand that has been there, seen it. It’s the brand that brings experience to the table, it brings insight and wisdom into a conversation.
It’s a secure and confident brand, it’s been through various ups and downs, different cycles of life. It’s resilient and always knows how to recover, therefore should not be trying to prove anything anymore. It simply invites you into its world. This world of Bell Lager is rich and diverse.
Uganda’s First Beer
As Uganda’s First Beer, Bell Lager thus recognizes pioneers, people who break barriers and reach the glass ceiling. It could be the first Ugandan to score a goal at Namboole. It could be the first Ugandan woman to graduate as an engineer. Anyone who has succeeded in any business venture, regardless of the industry or size. These are the people that Bell Lager seeks to identify with, the people who went ahead, explored new areas, either failed at some point but are succeeding regardless.
The Bell Lager Target Consumer: The Ugandan SOM & SOW
Bell Lager’s target consumer is a 35+ year old. Think of them as the quintessential Ugandan Slightly Older Man (SOM) and Slightly Older Woman (SOW). They work hard, they take on their duties with grace. They are diligent, committed to service. But they also know how to have fun. They’re chill guys and chill girls and crave comfort. They will not be up and dancing in crowded spaces with the younger campusers but will gladly dance with their own cohorts.
The Bell Drinker is not spontaneous but is sure about themselves and their decisions. They’ve taken time to form their taste and style. They’re well-travelled and comfortable in their homebase, Uganda. In the corporate world or the informal sector, they’re not naïve. They are aware of how the world works. They are comfortable sharing their opinion in whatever room to whatever crowd and are not afraid of criticism.
They take their hobbies seriously. This could be the Sunday jogging session, the hiking hobby, the Saturday car repairs or hanging out with friends and family over a weekend evening barbeque. They will rock their dresses and skirts with a Victorian grace. They’re not led at all by peer pressure. They’ve taken time to settle into their personality. Here’s the 2011 commercial that also spoke to Bell Lager as a brand that pats your back throughout the week.
What’s Bell’s Brand Promise: Exuding Quiet Confidence
Bell Lager should thus be positioned as the brand that exudes Quiet Confidence. And thus, the Bell Brand world should be about all things that evoke quiet confidence. The 3-year-old campaign, Mpola Enjoyments happened to speak to the target occasion space but with the wrong target consumer. It just needed a tweak with a crowd a bit older, more contained to nail it to perfection. Watch video below:
Ideal Bell Brand Ambassadors: Think of a Pumla Nabachwa and her PPJ crew. Think of a Buni. Think of Zeero Brain. Think of a Joram Kawira on Facebook. Imagine a Bell Lager placement in this conversation, it fits in just right: