Havana Club Puerto Rican rum has announced plans to roll out new bottle packaging, introduce a dark rum variant and embark on a new brand campaign in the US – all as part of “an exciting national market expansion”.
Following distribution in Florida, both of the brand’s rums – Havana Club Añejo Clásico, a dark rum; and Havana Club Añejo Blanco – will launch in eight states beginning in July, with the remaining states following suit in September.
The rums will feature a new packaging design inspired by the brand’s rich history and original packaging to stay true to the brand’s foundation. The sleek bottles feature a centre seal that has been prominently featured on packaging and advertising since the brand’s inception in 1934. The crest featured on every bottle, created by the Arechabala family, which first created the recipe for Havana Club, is surrounded by hand-lettered typography reminiscent of 1950s Cuba, when everything stylish and glamorous reigned supreme, the brand said.
Along with the new product and packaging, the brand is also introducing a new creative ad campaign called The Golden Age, Aged Well, which evokes the glamorous feeling of the Golden Era in Cuba and pays tribute to the heritage of Havana Club rum with tag lines such as “always true to its rumba loving soul”.
With a focus on Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Denver, Las Vegas, New York City, and Philadelphia, the advertising campaign will be executed through programmatic buying to distribute high-impact and native media including custom videos and cocktail education, reaching a sophisticated consumer through private marketplaces, as well as digital radio and mobile activity.
“This is the ultimate convergence of two Cuban families in exile coming together to continue the legacy of this incredible brand and introduce it to a new generation,” said Fabio Di Giammarco, global vice president of rums for brand owner Bacardi. “We are thrilled to launch Havana Club Añejo Clásico and share it, alongside Havana Club Añejo Blanco, with the support of the ‘The Golden Age, Aged Well’ creative campaign, which highlights the stunning Cuban historical period during which this rum was most revered. It is an honor that the Arechabala family has entrusted us to continue their family’s legacy and have no doubt that we’ll be able to bring to life all the things that made it a legendary brand.”
To create the new Havana Club Añejo Clásico, the rum begins with bases that are mellowed in oak casks between one to three years, before being chosen for selective filtration and blending. Upon blending, the brand returns the rum to oak casks for a second mellowing period of at least three months for additional smoothness. The result is a golden liquid with robust notes of sweet fruits akin to pineapple and apricot, complemented by oaky notes with hints of almond and vanilla.
“Our family could not be happier that Bacardi is launching Havana Club Añejo Clásico, which is based on the original recipe created by the Arechabala family in 1934,” said Jose Arechabala, a great-grandson of founder Jose Arechabala Aldama. “Our families knew each other before we were both exiled from Cuba, and with Bacardi being the premiere rum company in the world, it’s only fitting that they continue our legacy by paying proper homage to the capital city of Cuba, a place we once called home.”
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