Tight market leaves brewers with no choice

In a market of dwindling fortunes, players within the country’s beer industry have been forced to involve in new campaigns in an effort to capture a territory from a competitor. Brasserie des Mille Collines (BMC), brewers of Skol beer has announced the launch of their first ever promotion dubbed ‘Get Connected with Skol’ promo, days after Bralirwa unveiled the second edition of ‘Primus Guma Guma Superstar’ promotion. “It’s meant to let people test Skol and also consolidate our existing consumers,” Mark Mugarura, Marketing manager for Skol told Business Times on Tuesday. Skol currently controls around 25 percent of the premium beer market.The move is expected to help create a budge from seedy competitions that dominated the industry last year. But brewers will have to give back to customers to prove their loyalty.The country’s beer market is currently dominated by Bralirwa, selling over 1.3 million hectolitres per year, while Skol that follows with over 100,000 hectolitres. The East African Breweries Ltd-EABL is still importing.“We believe that this is a way for us to reward our consumers for their loyalty to our brand,” Mugarura said, adding that the lucky winner will walk away with a brand new Mitsubishi Lancer, while cell phones, laptops, TV screens will also be won.Mugarura noted that the US$0.5 million promotion, which will give a chance to consumers to win a variety of other prizes by checking under the crown, will help increase Skol’s growth.Experts say that with Bralirwa’s ‘Guma Guma Superstar’, which aims to promote local music – currently in its second edition this year – will test Skol’s ability to carve a market share dominated by Bralirwa.While unveiling this year’s Guma Guma Superstar competition, early this month, Jan van Velzen, Bralirwa’s Commercial Director, said that the promotion is expected to be bigger and better, with contestants taking part in corporate social responsibility.“Last year, we saw an improvement in our local music and this time we want also to share joy with our loyal consumers,” Freddie Nyangezi, Bralirwa’s Corporate Affairs manager, said.Nevertheless, the success of these promotions in wooing many customers will entirely depend on the consumer’s perceptions.“I may drink much of Skol because I know I can win at least a mobile phone,” Elias Nkubito, a carpenter told our reporter. While Nkubito prefers promotions where he is expected to benefit directly, Uwera Keza believes that the promotion geared towards helping the needy, or promoting talents would be the best way for companies to give back to its consumers.

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Tight market leaves brewers with no choice