Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Gulder Grapevine: Hints Of Another Milestone Event



Renowned for reenacting the sphinx myth in the Nigerian beer market, Gulder beer, a premium brew from the stable of Nigerian Breweries Plc is set for another trail blazing experience in a few days to come; precisely on August 24. The event which is expected to attract global attention to Nigeria is slated to hold in South East Nigeria according to an insider at Nigerian Breweries. The source who preferred to remain anonymous said the latest move by Gulder is inspired by its quest to always stay innovative and maintain its tradition of pioneering ‘firsts’ in the beer industry.

Apart from being associated with many ‘firsts’, Gulder has earned a reputation for itself as the beer brand that does things differently. It was the first beer to be produced in a brown bottle and also the mastermind of the first Nigerian reality show – the Gulder Ultimate Search (GUS) which birthed more than a decade ago.
About a year ago, Gulder built a hallway with branded Gulder beer crates as the only construction materials. The masterpiece was designed in the replica of a castle corridor. The structure stood at 18 feet high and spanned the length of the red carpet at over 50 meters.
The magnificent architecture was built with 3,678 crates and illuminated with 50 mood lights and it was believed to have taken 15 men working five days to complete the edifice. The Gulder castle was created at the final selection party for the 11th edition of the GUS in 2014 in Lagos.
In addition, the brand launched the Gulder Club Ultimate (GCU) in 2013, as an alternative consumer engagement platform. According to NB Plc, it was, “designed to give the “Gulder-man” a soft-live outside his daily routine; transforming known venues into exquisite cruise liner;  creating never-been-seen acts; crafting memories that consumers will long cherish and more importantly, giving the consumers an opportunity of perfectly served Gulder beer in a club setting.”
It would be recalled that brand recently rebranded its bottle. The rebranding which was preceded by a massive campaign tagged “The Cube is coming” culminated in what industry experts have termed the most innovative beer bottle.
Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc., Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde, said the Gulder re-launch was in tandem with the company’s penchant for innovation, which has sustained its leadership in the brewery sector.
According to him, the new bottle launch is revolutionary and reflects Gulder’s stance to always be in the forefront of advancement. He said, “In 1946, the story of innovation started with Nigerian Breweries Plc. We launched the Gulder brand in 1970 in a unique brown bottle with a unique logo and unique recipe. This unique beer is loved by millions of Nigerians who savour the taste every day, every week, every month and every year.”
The new Gulder bottle, which contains the same extra matured quality premium beer, brewed with a unique recipe with that crisp pleasant bitter taste, savoured by consumers, has a strong masculine look that stands shoulder to shoulder with the men who drink it.
Clearly marked with distinctive features, the new-look Gulder bottle wears a tougher but suave look, affirming that the brand confers strength on the strong and active man. It is the bottle of the future according to the immediate past Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Walter Drenth. The new bottle’s metallic label not only reinforces the strength and pride of the brand, it also enhances its look and feel. It’s striking double side embossment according to the brand “is the first in the history of bottle design in Nigeria and a concrete evidence of the brand’s innovative character”.
So what does Gulder have for its consumers? Is it another cube? Is it another bottle? While the brand is keeping silent for now, the 24th of August is set to be another milestone in the annals of Nigeria’s beer industry.

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