September 2012
Havana Club, the authentic Cuban rum, has been awarded the prestigious
Grand Prix Euro Effie advertising award for its global campaign, ‘Nothing
Compares to Havana’.
Havana Club, the authentic Cuban rum, has been awarded the prestigious Grand Prix Euro Effie advertising award for its global campaign, ‘Nothing Compares to Havana’.
Created by Paris-based M&C Saatchi GAD, the distinctive and memorable campaign also picked up a Gold award in the ‘FMCG’ category.
Rolled out across 35 markets, ‘Nothing Compares to Havana’ embraces Havana Club’s strong Cuban roots and supports the brand’s ambition to ‘Havanise’ the world. The unique character of Havana is captured in this campaign by reflecting the true values of the non-aligned Cuban city - humanity, spontaneity and creativity. Through a series of snapshots of everyday life, ‘Nothing Compares to Havana’ personifies the unique and inspiring attitude which is synonymous with the authentic Cuban rum.
Speaking at the Euro Effie awards ceremony in Brussels, Belgium last night, Yves Schladenhaufen, Marketing Director at Havana Club International S.A., said: “Receiving the Grand Prix and a Gold award is a real honour and is testament to the successful partnership we have developed with M&C Saatchi GAD over the years. We chose a strategic route that positions Havana Club as a cultural brand and brought it to life through ‘Nothing Compares to Havana’. The results have been hugely positive, influencing the brand’s value growth in numerous markets, including Germany, Italy, UK, France, Belgium and Greece”.
The Effie Awards recognises all forms of marketing communication that contribute to a brand’s success. To be considered for a Euro Effie, campaigns must offer proof of having met or exceeded clearly stated objectives. Judging procedures are primarily based on objective evidence of performance against goals.
Since the launch of ‘Nothing Compares to Havana’ in 2010, Havana Club has been named among the world’s top 25 best performing spirits brands. It is a truly international brand with exports representing 70% of total sales to 125 countries worldwide, excluding the USA, where Cuban products are under embargo.
The ‘Nothing Compares to Havana’ campaign includes TV, print, billboard, and cinema advertising, as well as online activity and PR support. The sentiment of the campaign is also communicated through a number of other initiatives created through the partnership, including:
Havana Cultura: a global platform for the promotion of Cuban creativity in all its forms, embracing music, literature, film, design, architecture and visual and performing arts. Havana Cultura is brought to life through a multimedia website www.havana-cultura.com, as well as cultural projects and events around the world.
A collaboration with Full House and Morena Films, that saw the launch of “7 Days in Havana”, a feature movie that was selected in the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and has been released in many countries since June 2012
The development of experiential and digital programs that invite consumers to discover how to make a genuine Cuban Mojito with Havana Club 3 Años.
