Maxxium backs Courvoisier with £15m spend in 2010

Maxxium UK is to spend £15 million supporting its cognac brand, Courvoisier, in 2010.

It hopes to use a combination of above the line consumer advertising, promotions and educational programmes to bring more drinkers into the cognac category.
This will include:

* 3D training films for the on-trade and bar staff
* Le Nez de Courvoisier, a sensory training experience designed to help drinkers understand the taste, flavours and aromas around cognac and Courvoisier
* promotional activity to promote the use of Courvoisier in cocktail and summer drinking occasions, particularly around the use of Courvoisier as a summer punch drink.

Janice McIntosh, Courvoisier's UK marketing manager, said: "At Maxxium UK we believe there is an exciting opportunity to grow the cognac category by recruiting new consumers, encouraging those who don't normally consider cognac to try it."

Events in 2009 included the Architectural Punchbowl which saw an entire room filled with punch made from Courvoisier Exclusif. Similar "event-sytle" promotional activity are also planned for 2010 which not only attract good national media coverage, but bring new interest and attention to the cognac category.

"This year we will continue to sample cognac cocktails and punch at selected consumer events and work with bartenders who are increasingly using cognac in cocktails, a trend we expect to see replicated in the off-trade in 2010," added McIntosh.

Maxxium is to continue with its Courvoisier The Future 500 networking and promotional activity designed to bring influential professionals from different sectors together.

Greater emphasis will be placed on Courvoisier premium brands, particularly its L'Essence de Couvoisier launched in 2009.

More details at www.mixit.co.uk.