Shelby Sanzeh April 15, 2011 Marketing Calb Ciroc Promotion Concerning promotion for the Ciroc brand, we have identified a few areas that we would like to alter and introduce into the marketing mix. The current segmentation for the brand seems to be aimed at African American urban males, ages 25-30. These men are middle- to upper-class and identify with a nightlife lifestyle.

Ciroc is also advertised as “the official vodka of New Years. ” Advertisements for the brand include online spots including Diddy giving style advice and comedic interactions between Diddy and Aziz Ansari.Promotion has also been based heavily on line and through sponsorship of celebrity events, such as parties or Diddy's recent concert tour. The Diddy brand itself has actually been a driving force concerning the promotion of Ciroc. Consequently, the brand has become heavily dependent on his image and the lifestyle that he represents.

We would suggest for this upcoming year to expand promotion to a new segment that will allow the brand to grow, but also keep a strong relationship with current consumers.The current segmentation is based heavily on a target audience that Diddy and his image can connect with easily and effectively. Targeting a new segment will open up new possibilities for promotion of the product. We suggest that Ciroc target caucasian women, ages 21 to 30, who are middle- to upper-class that similarly identify with the urban nightlife setting. The addition of this segment will allow the brand to attract an audience that stands for the same principals, values, and lifestyles of those in the young, urban male segment.

Contingent upon this desire to target a new segment, we recommend adding a new spokesperson to a new ad campaign. This individual would stand alongside Diddy, adding a new “flavor” to the brand (in conjunction with promoting Ciroc's line of flavored vodkas). Ideally, we would hire Gwen Stefani to be the face of flavored Ciroc products. Gwen Stefani represents women who are high-fashion/fashion-conscious, classy, successful, talented, and responsible.

She compliments Diddy's sophisticated urban persona by roviding a chic elegance that appeals to both the hardcore partier and the seasoned celebrator. In line with the addition of Stefani to the brand's advertising campaign, we propose that the product be branded to consumers as “the official vodka of celebration” to encompass more than just that of “the official vodka of New Years. ” Impressing upon consumers that Ciroc is “the offical vodka of celebration” will make it a household item when it comes to birthdays, parties, anniversaries, and holidays.We hope to enhance Ciroc's value proposition to provide more than just a “one night stand” type of relationship with a consumer.

Ciroc should be able to provide high quality, specialty vodka for the consumer throughout the year, not solely on New Years or during a weekend spent in the city. We similarly believe that promotion of the product should include multimedia advertising as well as unconventional promotional methods.TV spots and photograph/poster ads to appear in magazines would include both Stefani and Diddy together; Diddy would represent the current face of Ciroc and Stefani would be positioned as the flavor that adds the extra excitement to Ciroc's unique taste. As far as nontraditional promotion, we suggest playing off of the idea that many Ciroc customers use mixers with the vodka. Throwing “Mixer” parties that encourage the intermingling of people of different locations and statuses, as well as the exploration of combining Ciroc with other drinks to find the perfect mixed drink.