1 FOR ALL
KETEL 1, which was founded in 1691, is one of the oldest family-owned businesses in the Netherlands. It is located in Schiedam, just outside of Rotterdam. The premium class jenever produced by KETEL 1 is known worldwide and is still brewed in the original kettle number one. To further strengthen their position as one of the top jenever brands and introduce their product to new audiences, KETEL 1 sought the help of Das Buro for some serious strategy. Cheers guys!
- Client
- Nolet Distillery
- Services
- Brand positioning, Brand DNA, Brand architecture, Visual identity, Product & Brand campaigns, Brand collateral, Brand plan
- Visit website
- Ketel1.nl
Shift focus
KETEL 1 has been a leading brand in the market for a long time. However, the demand for Jenever, the category of the product, has been decreasing every year. The brand’s target audience is growing older, and younger generations have a negative perception of the product category. To stay competitive, the brand needs to expand its customer base by targeting new segments.
Long and short
Introducing jenever to a new audience in a crowded market can be challenging. Research has shown a significant gap between the current customer base and the desired target audience. Younger people do not typically consider jenever as a drink option. Therefore, we had to reposition the KETEL 1 brand rather than just the drink (KETEL 1 Jenever). At the same time, we needed to ensure that the current pure jenever drinkers still felt connected to the brand. After conducting both qualitative and quantitative research, we identified several possible routes to achieve our goals. We defined three primary target audiences and developed a 5-year brand plan for each of them, with brand awareness and positioning as the primary objectives. Creating a brand plan that outlines both long-term and short-term strategies, including SMART goals, is crucial for budgeting and creative decisions. Thus, we embarked on a journey that turned out to be highly successful.
1 for all
We came up with the “1 for all” concept as an overarching creative idea that aligns with the brand’s heritage, the family’s social objectives, and the various target segments we aim to reach. In order to improve our brand positioning, we also refreshed the brand’s verbal and visual identity by introducing a new color palette, modern typography, and a more approachable tone of voice.
KETEL 1 Hard Lemonade
We have recently launched a new product called KETEL 1 Hard Lemonade with the aim of targeting younger audiences. It is a refreshing and sparkling blend of lemonade and KETEL 1 Jenever. To promote the product, we developed a creative campaign concept called “Work Hard, Play Hard”. We launched our TV commercial, online ads, festival activations, outdoor visuals and point of sale materials during the introduction at Albert Heijn and Gall & Gall.We introduced a new product called KETEL 1 Hard Lemonade to target younger audiences. A fresh, sparkling mix of lemonade and KETEL 1 Jenever. With that came the creative campaign concept Work Hard, Play Hard. Our TVC, online ads, festival activations, outdoor visuals and pos materials where launched during the Albert Heijn and Gall & Gall introduction.
KETEL 1 Shake-off
We created a competition called KETEL 1 – Shake off to help distribute Hard Lemonade. Bartenders and bar teams were invited to create their own version of KETEL 1 – Hard Lemonade. Over 120 participants took part in the competition, making it a huge success. Due to its popularity, the Shake-off competition is now held annually.
