Carlsberg's Somersby brand eyes wine drinkers in Singapore

It is not new for ciders to launch new flavours, but for Somersby, it is more than just about being a fancy drink. Speaking to Marketing, Singapore GM of parent company Carlsberg, Olivier Dubost, said that Carlsberg aims to expand Somersby portfolio to reach out to a wider audience - wine and champagne aficionados.As Singaporeans become more "curious and savvy", Dubost said that it is important to do so to remain relevant and attractive in the market. This led to the launch of the Somersby Sparkling White, a fuse of cider and white wine, in March with Singapore as one its first market in Asia. This is an addition to Somersby's sparkling range of ciders, which made its debut last year with the Sparkling Rosé.We see it as taking the total cider category more premium by offering more than just one cider.“This makes the category more exciting for both trade and consumers and we are targeting existing adjacent category drinkers such as white wine and champagne," said Dubost, who joined Carlsberg in 2011. Prior to his current role, Dubost was the Carlsberg Asia's vice president commercial in-charge of sales and marketing for two years. He also held the position of vice president of marketing at Brasseries Kronenbourg in France, a company owned by Carlsberg Group, for five years before that.According to Dubost, Somersby Sparkling White has received positive feedback since launch largely for its wine-like aroma and taste profile. Moving forward, the team intends to drive product innovation, further deep dive into consumer behaviour and identify other potential markets."Based on our key learnings, we learned that some of the effective ways of marketing our products are through word of mouth and on-ground sampling. Hence, we will continue to actively engage media and influencers to raise brand awareness in addition to mass media buy," he added.On broader marketing strategies for Carlsberg Singapore as a whole, he shared that delighting consumers remains the top priority across the beer, cider and stout verticals. Beyond just launching new products, said Dubost, the company aims to immerse consumers in enjoyable and rewarding experiences through digital engagement, brand positioning and consumer promotions.Carlsberg Singapore currently carries Carlsberg, Somersby Cider, Kronenbourg 1664, Asahi, Brooklyn Brewery Craft Beer, Connor’s Stout, Danish Royal Stout, SKOL, and Jolly Shandy brands.Read more: Somersby keeps #ThatWeekendFeeling alive in a fun and quirky way Somersby launches first ever local campaign