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SPAIN – MACARONESIAN STORIES, “THE STORY OF A DREAM THAT CONQUERED A VOLCANO”
Sr. Goldwind and Experientia have signed this original initiative to launch Macaronesian Gin, a premium gin from the Canary Islands distilled with
volcanic water.
Launching a spirits brand without a media budget is no easy task in the current advertising climate in Spain. Legal restrictions are compounded by market
saturation and the high budgets that big brands have at their disposal to reach
consumers.
Grupo Varma, a leading Spanish family-owned company in the distribution of spirits and consumer products, wanted to launch Macaronesian Gin, its new
premium gin, on the domestic market.
With a limited budget, a traditional launch was not viable. At Sr. Goldwind and Experientia, we realized that “we had to come up with a different
strategy” with an action that, on its own, would make a splash in the media and connect with consumers.
We found the answer in the brand’s own DNA, in its Canarian essence and in the fact that it is distilled using water filtered through volcanic rock. We
looked for a real story that would spark the interest of the media and the public, and we found Vicente Leal, a resident of La Palma who had been fighting for
three years, with only a shovel to help him, to recover his home that was buried after the 2021 eruption.
His story became the subject of Macaronesian Stories, “The Story of a Dream that Conquered a Volcano,” a documentary that recounts his dream and serves as inspiration to those fighting to achieve their own.
To share his story, Vicente invited renowned Canary Islanders to a small event (actress Kira Miró, singer Caco Senante, Michelin-starred chef Víctor Suárez, among many others), who selflessly responded to his call. Together they experienced a very special gathering, the first celebration on Europe’s youngest land.
This gathering, which took place in part of the house that he himself has been unearthing, occurred exactly three years after the end of the volcanic eruption, a very emotional time for anyone from the Canary Islands.
Between chatting and singing, Vicente shared his personal story with them: how for 30 years he dreamed of having a house in a privileged location on the island
and, when he was finally able to enjoy it, the volcano took it away from him. He taught a wonderful lesson to everyone who heard his story: “we must fight for our dreams without giving up.”
To give Vicente’s story organic media coverage, the documentary film was shot, edited, and scored in 36 hours. It had to reach the media on exactly the third anniversary of the end of the eruption.
The documentary film brought Vicente’s story to more than 67 countries through 1,200 media appearances, with a PR value of €2.9 million (exceeding the brand’s investment by 1,200%) and recording more than 4.5 million views of the video.
In addition, Macaronesian Gin managed to connect with the hospitality sector, gaining 10,000 new points of sale and increasing its sales by 436%, becoming
the best launch of a premium gin brand in the Spanish market in the last 20 years.
- VIDEO ON THE WEBSITE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyEv1PdAaYs&t=4s - www.mrgoldwind.com