#OnShelf: SA rum launches in UK

by Louise Burgers. South African Rum launches in the UK; a new look for Bisquit&Dubouché; ACS Pharma new dry eye product; and a Campari campaign in Nigeria celebrates creativity.

South African floral rum, Suncamino, launches in the UK

Suncamino Floral Rum, the world’s first floral infused rum conceived in Cape Town, has officially launched in the UK. This award-winning local rum is brought to the UK and exclusively distributed by 31DOVER, Spirits Retailer of the Year 2020 (The Spirits Business Awards). Suncamino is distilled in Barbados and aged for up to eight years in ex-bourbon oak-barrels before it arrives in Cape Town. It is then further matured and infused with the natural extracts of hibiscus, honeybush and orange blossom. The result it a gold, smooth rum with a lush floral finish. As rum grows in popularity across the world, and discerning drinkers seek out craft spirits and experiences, founders, Stewy van der Berg and Inus Smuts, created Suncamino Rum to inspire adventure. The name means ‘journey to the sun’. Says van der Berg, “We wanted to bottle and share the feeling of Cape Town where wild, picturesque landscapes meet an eclectic mix of cultures, tastes, sounds and sights. When people drink Suncamino, they do so because they want to become a part of a lifestyle that’s represented by the brand – one that is centered around creativity, individuality and adventure.”

Creative director, Smuts, explains how they plan to make a splash in the UK market: “We want to build something with our consumers that will inspire moments of storytelling, create value and make a difference. We are very fortunate to have 31DOVER to fast-track our UK distribution, a passionate brand team, and some great strategic investors, including the likes of Mark Barnard, serial investor and ex-CCO of Diageo-Global.” Suncamino Floral Rum has a 40% ABV and retails locally at RRP R319 for 500ml at Yuppiechef. Video here.

New brand look for Bisquit&Dubouché cognac

A new look for the 200-year-old Bisquit&Dubouché cognac brand was launched in Johannesburg at the end of 2021 at an event in Johannesburg, which included a food paring and bespoke cocktails. The cocktail selection on the evening included The Griffin, featuring ginger beer, fresh lemon and candied ginger alongside the cognac; and a Peach Smash – a fresh pairing of mint and peach playing off Bisquit&Dubouche’s V.S. (Very Special). The new look is an ode to Bisquit&Dubouché founders, pioneer and innovator Alexandre Bisquit and his son-in-law, a creative and bohemian world traveller, Adrien Dubouché. With this relaunch, Bisquit&Dubouché restores its founders’ ambition and spirit into the essence of the brand while introducing it to a new generation. The new, sleek bottle with metallic silver and black accents adorning the label is a departure from the traditional cognac bottles on shelves today. The brand’s symbolic griffin – a legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle; has been redesigned to reflect boldness and power.

ACS Pharma launches moisturising contact lens solution

ACS Pharma has launched ACS Aqua Seal Double Moisturising Effect. With its new proprietary Aqua Seal formulation, the multi-purpose contact lens solution provides double all-day moisture for contact lens wearing consumers who suffer from dry and sensitive eyes. The new formulation disinfects, cleans, protects and fights lens dehydration with the Aqua Seal which forms a lubricating shield of Sodium Hyaluronate and HPMC to condition and protect the eye from moisture loss by sealing in moisture and slowly releasing it throughout the day. Recomended retail price for 360ml is R119.99 including VAT. Travel pack consists of 2 x 100ml at the recommended retail price R99.99 including VAT at Dischem, selected pharmacies and optometrists nationwide.

CAMPAIGN: Campari champions creativity in Nigeria

Campari, which lists Africa as one of its biggest markets, championed  passion and creativity in a new campaign which launched in the last quarter of 2021. Conceptualised and implemented by HaveYouHeard, the campaign put Campari in the hands of a new, ambitious generation and positioned it as a badge for their boldness, creativity and passion. At its core was a collaboration with MTV Base, featuring living Afrobeats legend and Campari’s current brand ambassador, 2Baba, and on-trend-in-Africa and internationally awarded musicians Oxlade, GoodGirl LA and T-Classic. The collaboration saw Campari and the well-entrenched channel create a unique platform for up-and-coming talent to step into the spotlight. Called Passion Project, this pairs film makers and stylists they feel are pushing the boundaries of their craft with either Oxlade, GoodGirl LA or T-Classic to produce a music video for their next big single. The campaign wasn’t just for the artists though – it also offered fans the opportunity to share the stage with the icons of cool and become a part of culture themselves.

Explaining the rationale behind the campaign, HaveYouHeard Head of Research and Insights, Claudia Schonitz, said that Campari and its way of communicating with young Nigerians needed to evolve if they were going to capture their attention… and conventional advertising wasn’t going to answer that. “Now, as champions of passion and creativity, Campari’s role in culture is to support Africa’s new generation of artists and put them on the world stage,” said Schonitz. “Music is the most influential and accessible community in African youth culture, crossing borders and breaking ground for new trends. And music videos are key to an artist’s success with YouTube used as a ‘free’ music streaming platform,” added HaveYouHeard group executive creative director, Dan Berkowitz. Passion Project trailer here.

Main image credit: HaveYouHeard.

Louise Burgers is the Publisher and Editor and Co-Founder of RetailingAfrica.com. She has spent over 20 years writing about the FMCG retailing, marketing, media and advertising industry in South Africa and on the African continent. She has specialised in local and Africa consumer trends and is a passionate Afro-optimist who believes it is Africa’s time to rise again and that the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) will be a global gamechanger in the next decade.

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