Sainsbury's may have tweaked the label but Diageo has further work to do to protect its brand, says Peter Lidgey


So Diageo has withdrawn legal action against Sainsbury's over the supermarket's version of Pimm's, with Sainsbury's agreeing to minor label changes.

Diageo's original decision to sue for copyright infringement was hardly surprising. It has spent millions in the past few years marketing Pimm's as the drink for lazy, hazy, social summer afternoons, and that was effectively hijacked by Sainsbury's offering its own, cheaper brand for the same occasion that was almost identical in appearance. Diageo has put a lot of resources into the occasion-based marketing of Pimm's the linking of the brand with summer. That was perhaps what it was keenest to protect.

Occasion-based marketing is particularly relevant today because it is so effective at reaching consumers through the clutter of brand messages. It helps consumers understand the relevance (and importance) of a brand in enhancing their lives. Diageo's marketing shows consumers how Pimm's fits into their world and drives affection for the brand because it puts consumers' 'needs' at its heart. Sainsbury's sought to capitalise on Pimm's positioning, even marketing Pitchers as being 'synonymous with summer'. It encouraged shoppers to switch to its own brand at PoS by displaying Pitchers on the shelf as a cheaper version of a similar product.

Where to go now? Diageo should rethink its shopper marketing strategy for next summer. To date, it has been enough for Pimm's to push the occasion. But now there's a credible competitor it should consider the emotive and quality reassurance messaging it needs to deliver to counter the Pitchers threat. In the scramble for consumer attention, brands need to balance shopper communication between why they are different (their USP), why consumers love the brand (in this case, nostalgia) and why consumers should use it (for what occasion).

Pimm's has done the hard part by promoting the occasion to drive shoppers to that category. It has, to a point, successfully defended its identity. It now needs to reinforce its quality and emotional bond with consumers at the shelf.

Peter Lidgey is MD of OgilvyAction London.


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