By Kim Tae-gyu
The new packaging of Scotch whisky brand Ballantine’s, one of the most popular spirits here, appears to be winning the hearts and minds of Korean customers just a month after its debut.
Pernod Ricard Korea, which markets the liquor here, said Tuesday that local clients show strong affection toward the new-look Ballantine’s line-up of 17-, 21- and 30-Year Old products.
The firm unveiled the new packaging in July, which features embossed signatures of founder George Ballantine and two separate labels, released late last month.
``The packaging redesign in line with our heritage, which stretches back to 1827, has increased our products’ luxury credentials as well as drumming up brand awareness for Ballantine’s,’’ Pernod Ricard Korea Director Yoo Ho-sung said.
``We expect that the new-style packaging will help underpin our brand image as the top-end whisky down the road. We will be able to remain ahead of the curve in the hard-fought competition.’’
Market watchers point out that Ballantine’s attempts of revamp its packaging thanks to its unique approach of adding new values on top of its much-heralded traditions.
``Ballantine’s, which is known to highly regard traditions, rarely overhaul its designs. Hence, the latest redesign is attracting people’s attention and the responses seem to be far better than originally expected,’’ a Seoul analyst said.
``The market consensus is that the new packaging strengthens recognition as premium products. The trial has seemingly jacked up the authenticity of the Ballentine’s brand.’’
Ballantine’s sells in more than 160 countries across the world and its annual sales amount to 6 million cases (one case contains six bottles). In other words, two cases are snapped up every second somewhere in the world.
The whisky won gold medals at the International Wine & Spirits Challenge, a global competition of international alcohol brands, five times since 1997.
Ever since wading into Asia’s fourth-largest market in the late 1980s, Ballantine’s has maintained the leadership here based on its rich perfumes and soft flavors is tailored to the local tastes as amply demonstrated by media research.
The New Management, a vernacular monthly, surveyed chief executives in Korea to learn that Ballantine’s is the favorite whisky brand. It has ranked first for eight consecutive years since 2003. It topped the podium again this year.
As Ballantine’s is so well suited to local tastes, other imported Scotch whisky brands are known to imitate its ingredients.