By Princewill Ekwujuru

For brands to get connected to consumers, they need to toe a certain marketing line to get to their destination, particularly in trying to navigate entrant to a market riddled with competing brands.

Like every new thing it has always been a challenge for brand builders introducing a new brand, particularly being saddled with the responsibilities of conceptualisation, name and relevant strategies to introduce it to the market.

That was the situation eight months ago, when Nigerian Breweries entered the market with Star lite, brand extension of Star Larger.  As a result of the persistent failure of many new brands at the point of entrance, not a few people discarded it as a misadventure.

However, as a company that is on top of the game, NB showed from the beginning that it knew the right card to play. Having successfully established Star Larger as the no 1 beer brand in the market, the company massively followed the existing template and introduced fresh techniques to create aura around its new offering. Today, the brand has, within few months, moved from the infant stage into mature age. Among other things that have worked for the brand, the introduction of Africa’s first mobile music machine, used to support it still stands as a major reason for its success.

In the beginning…

The launch of the new product attracted varying comments from market watchers. While a section of the market hailed the decision as a genuine strategy to enter a new segment for more growth and higher margins, another set of analysts dismissed it as a misadventure. Most of those who shared the last view thought it would be difficult for the two brands to grow along each other.

But to the handlers of the brand, who disclosed that the company engaged in extensive research before unveiling the product, the decision was a genuine response to the yearnings of Nigerian consumers.

Speaking at the launch event, Marketing Director, NB, Walter Drenth, said the introduction of the new entrant had reaffirmed the commitment of the company to innovation.  “Star continues to set the trend in innovation. This is just the beginning. There’s so much more in store for 2014 and we will be announcing them in the most unpredictable ways,” he said.

The new beer brand, he said, is a line extension of Star lager and  brewed with 100 percent natural ingredients; the finest malted barley, high quality hops, and best quality water; as such, has fewer calories compared with other standard lager beers.