THE Glenlivet’s new South African Brand Manager is THE Keval Ramraj, a young man who has his finger on the pulse of the world of single malt whisky – and whose competitive edge bodes well for the future of this whisky brand that owns the reputation of being THE single malt whisky in the world.
He believes a great brand manager needs to know his brand and the broader industry very well, though an underlying passion for whisky and a firm belief in always going ‘above and beyond’ is at the heart of his success.
‘‘I regard it as a privilege to represent THE Glenlivet’s finely crafted whisky range, with its rich heritage and unsurpassed quality. Dedication to excellence underlies our approach to creating whisky, and that has remained unchanged since our founder George Smith started the first licensed distillery in 1824, he says.’’
His advice to whisky lovers who want to know how they should drink their dram of THE Glenlivet, reflects Keval’s no-nonsense approach to life. ‘Throw convention to the wind and drink it any way you wish, as long as it’s in a responsible way. This approach is one that THE Glenlivet team takes very seriously, and it’s at the heart of Pernod Ricard’s just-launched 141 campaign – an initiative that aims to get consumers of alcohol to re-evaluate their consumption, by getting them to drink water between drinks on a one for one basis – 1 glass of water for each serving of alcohol.
Born and raised in KwaZulu-Natal, 27-Year old Keval brings in-depth insight to his new role as Brand Manager Single Malt Whiskies, having joined the prestigious Pernod Ricard group officially in 2013, as an On-Trade sales representative at their Durban-based head office. With the single-minded determination that his peers and managers have come to expect and admire, he set his sights on playing a key role within the group’s marketing space, from the get-go.
His appointment as Events Manager in 2014 was a step in the right direction and he set out to acquire the skills and knowledge that would set him up to become an accomplished Brand Manager. Recognizing his passion, an experienced brand manager within the group took him under his wing, and it wasn’t long before he was offered the position of Assistant Brand Manager for the group’s Ballantine’s Whisky brand. ‘‘The next 18 months of my life were a revelation,’’ he declares. “I got to travel and work alongside seasoned industry professionals and most importantly to grow as a marketer and an individual. This time was crucial to my development and definitely laid the foundation for me to accomplish the goals I had set out for myself. It also sparked my inner fire for all things whisky-related. In December 2018 I applied for the role of Brand Manager Single Malts and was given the opportunity to take on this role at the Cape Town office. Mission accomplished,’’ he smiles.’
The world of brand management revolves around numbers, and much of his time is invested in interrogating sales data to ensure that he knows where the brand’s opportunities and challenges lie. ‘My days are filled with agency alignment meetings, tracking of sales via our sales and finance teams, implementation, tracking and reporting on campaigns, ensuring the brand’s strategic positioning is followed through by the campaigns that we build and implement, touching base with the trade teams, and keeping up with industry trends and what competitors are doing. Everything is geared towards building advocates for the brand around the country.’’
His role as Brand Manager involves working closely with the brand’s Marketing and PR agencies to create and execute the great campaigns that have become synonymous with THE single malt whisky. The intriguing ‘THE’ campaign, that positions THE Glenlivet as THE single malt whisky in the world is a great success story, and one of its strongest elements is THE Glenlivet JazzTown – sophisticated lifestyle events which are fast earning a reputation as THE definitive local live jazz experiences. These are regarded as the ultimate social experience at Mzansi’s top two race days – The Sun Met and the Vodacom Durban July.
‘To share THE Glenlivet experience with single malt lovers across the globe, the brand has introduced the concept of the Guardians of The Glenlivet – an online hub for fans to engage with the brand and each other. This network of around 200 000 people across the globe are privy to exclusive information on the whiskies, are offered first access to limited edition releases, and are placed on the invitation list to attend unique local events.
‘‘The competitive landscape is really tough, so as a marketer I am always on the lookout for unique, interesting and creative ways to market our luxury brand.’’ he says. ‘’I’m on a mission to take THE Glenlivet to the top in the local industry. It’s just a matter of time before it’s the number one single malt in SA.’’
There’s no doubt that passion is the driving force behind the success that this astute young professional has achieved so early in his career. Coupled with an innate rapport for people and his signature single-minded determination, word around town is that he is firmly on a path to becoming a force to be reckoned with in the industry.
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