“National unity”, “French culture”… How Ricard invites himself to blue triumphs
Framed or not, it is displayed in the apartment or in the corridor of any company … Front page Team July 13, 1998 is etched into the retinas of millions of French people, crossed out with the caption “For Eternity”. Immortalized in the photo, Zinedine Zidane set a sales record that still stands with 1,642,501 copies after the sports newspaper reprinted the Blues, Youri Djorkaeff and Emmanuel Petit’s first world title. And Ricard has pulled off a great publicity stunt at the bottom of the page, which applies as much to Zizou, the famous aniseed aperitif born in 1932 with the feel-good slogan “It all began in Marseille” as to the author of the double day. against Brazil in the final (3-0).
Since the end of the 20th century, the flagship brand of the expanding Pernod-Ricard group, the world leader in spirits (whiskey, rum, champagne, etc.). Team after the exploits of the blues. Magnificently – “Stars for Gold” after the breathless victory against Italy in the Euro final on July 3, 2000 – or more technically – “Yellow Blue, Yellow White, Yellow Red” July 16, 2018, World Champions against Croatia in Russia after the title.
“Richard’s challenge is to remain a leading, cross-generational brand,” emphasizes Loic Lherbier, president of Yuma Paris, a firm of brand development experts. It is for this reason that they use all opportunities for national unity, such as the World Cup, to demonstrate their presence as well as their commitment to French culture. »
obstacles to overcome
When we combine “alcohol” and “culture”, we see a few readers jumping out. But since it was created by Paul Ricard just 90 years ago, the pastis brand has always forced its way into cafes and homes, with a few items found in the bar-grocery store in Savignac-les – PMU “Le Penalty”. -Trois-Rivières or at Grandma Josette: carafes, glasses and lids with logos…
Not forgetting sports sponsorship, which has become less obvious for brands in the sector since the House law of 1991, even if it is possible to drop your name on a race circuit like Le Castellet, which has hosted until this year. F1 French Grand Prix. On the other hand, there are no commercials on TV or in the cinema. Nor is it surprising that in publications aimed at a young audience. But there was no problem in the rest of the press, or so it can be said.
“Legislation prevents alcohol brands from communicating on anything other than objective or factual elements such as the origin or composition of the product,” continues Loïck Lherbier. Thus, in one of the LCrew On July 5, 2014, after Brazil’s World Cup quarter-final defeat against eventual winners Germany. Or “Badam” on June 29, 2021, the day after the euro’s shocking defeat to Switzerland in the round of 16.
A brand for rejuvenation
“Richard will find tricks to communicate with playful words to create an image of sympathy and sympathy, to be a little creative, to be a little creative without being provocative and without saying anything other than what his drinks are made of,” emphasizes the head of Yuma France. To these slogans we can add the slogan “Shed a tear”, which is repeated 10 years and a day after the heartbreaking defeats in the final of the 2006 World Cup (Italy, Zizou’s red, goal kick). missed by Trezegue …) and Euro 2016 (Portugal, Gignac’s post, Eder’s strike …).
On July 12, 2021, a few hours after Italy won the European championship at Wembley, Ricard released a neutral and French slogan: “Born in Marseille”. It’s just the name of an ad campaign launched a year ago with videos of tattooed twenty-something “bartenders” to attract a younger clientele, moving away from Marseille’s folkloric image during the Fernandel era. And we try to convince people that an anise aperitif is as “fashionable” as a Spritz, so that they stay in com jargon.
It is not yet known whether the Ricard ad will be placed at the footer of the front page Team, a day after France-Argentina, on a Monday in mid-December, invites you to drink herbal tea by the fire, not a small yellow one, on the terrace. When we reached out and tried to learn more behind the scenes of this long association, the two companies graciously dismissed us. Also, the famous “how much is a look?” it is impossible to ask the question. », like the late Jean-Pierre Pernaut.
Waiting for Monday
He probably wouldn’t get any answers anyway. The work is worth several tens of thousands of euros according to the formula selected in the catalog of Amaury Media, the advertising agency for all media of the Amaury group. Team. And for an exceptional day like Monday, December 19, 2022, the rate is increased by at least 30%.
According to Kantar’s figures, which are authentic in the sector, the Pernod-Ricard group invests between 15 and 18.5 million euros per year in multimedia communication (press, internet, billboards) for all its brands, including between 2.5 and 3.3 million. euros for their flagship products. A week after the Blues’ third star, the tension is at an all-time high before we know whether the poster we’ll be offering to stepdad at Christmas will smell of fennel.
