Specialty Brands Brand Ambassador at Pernod Ricard in Tokyo

Specialty Brands Brand Ambassador

Location: Tokyo

COMPANY BACKGROUND

• Worldwide #2 in the Premium Spirit & Wine Industry, Pernod Ricard has a wide portfolio of premium brands, across the whisky, champagne, cognac, and white spirits categories.
• Pernod Ricard Japan K.K. (PRJ) is a company founded in 1990 in Tokyo, Japan, as a fully owned subsidiary of Pernod Ricard Asia S.A. It is importing 30+ brands in Japan.
• Competing with large local players, Pernod Ricard Japan is aiming at being the fastest growing international Premium+ spirits and wine player in the market as defined in its 3-Year plan.
• Hence, while reinforcing investments in leading footholds in key categories (super premium whiskies, ultra-premium gin & champagne), the Company is looking at igniting a number of additional brands within the next 3 years.
• As a lead market for the Group (within top 10), PR Japan is therefore strongly engaged into the implementation of the Transform & Accelerate Corporate Ambition – with significant impact on Marketing operations, in terms of: increased # of brands activated, scaled-up investment, precision in consumer touchpoints allocation, monitoring of the marketing mix efficiency.

THE PORTFOLIO IN SCOPE

Located in the Specialty Brand group covering:

• Tequila & Mezcal: Código 1530, Altos, Olmeca, Del Maguey Gin: Kinobi, Monkey 47, Malfy, Plymouth
• Rum: Havana Club
• Liquor: Italicus and French aperitif portfolio

JOB PURPOSE

• Become the representative of Specialty Brands portfolio in Japan and build awareness, engagement & advocacy for the brands among trade & consumers, supporting brand activation & bringing business impact, particularly in Modern ON-trade segment with 50% of time allocated to Agave portfolio, 40% on KI NO BI Kyoto Dry Gin and 10% on other brands.

THE ROLE

• Drive Specialty brands portfolio in market with focus on Agave portfolio (Tequila & Mezcal) and KI NO BI.
• Build advocacy among bartenders via SIP mentoring platform & seminars
• Plan & execute SIP Supernova cocktail competition
• Build advocacy among bartender associations, embassies & trade organizations
• Collaborate with business partner SmallAxe for trade advocacy & consumer consideration
• Drive brand visibility and activation at key outlets with close collaboration with sales team
• Proactively grab opportunities of brand seminars and tasting events (online & offline) to showcase the brands to various audiences (consumers, shoppers, trade customers & press)
• Competitor activity research

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Drive Brand Presence, Visibility and Activation in ON-trade

• Visit MOTs (bars & restaurants) to introduce portfolio in scope and to list on menu
• Identify key accounts and pre-align with MOT activation and Hotel & Restaurant sales teams for consistency
• Make regular bar calls to such key accounts to strengthen brands’ visibility and initiate brand activation, intending to drive advocacy and to bring business impact, through building tight relationship with the accounts.
• Upon request form sales team, accompany them for meetings and bar calls to give idea of Visibility and Activation.
• Keep update on the latest POS list and availability with close working with Marketing Manager & Trade Marketing Team to utilize those to strengthen Visibility at key outlets
• In collaboration with brand manager, hold regular meetings with bartender associations, embassies & trade organizations for tie-ups like event sponsorship
• Support brand manager in implementing guest bartender shift and influencer activation

2. Brand Education

• Plan and execute SIP* mentoring seminars & consumer facing events by guest bartenders
• Nurture the SIP membership community through bonding events and mentoring sessions
• Organize the local SIP Supernova competition & final; support JP finalists at the global final
• Undertake comprehensive training and maintain ongoing close connection with Brand Owners to stay on top of global strategy and activations (best practices) of each brand.
• Lead activations both for bartenders and consumers with tastings, seminars, hosting activities and helping with events.
• Participate in industry events to educate about the brands.
• Bring customers/consumers to home countries to make them fans of the brands through prepared thorough experience via closely working with BO – opportunity basis.

*SIP (Share. Inspire. Pioneer) is a global trade advocacy platform by Pernod Ricard that connects, educates, and empowers the entire hospitality community to shape the future of the industry.

3.Business Development and Sales Support in OFF-trade

• Support OFF-trade team in pitches, seminars, visibility support and sampling opportunities.

4.Business Performance Monitoring

• Monitor activity performance/learnings and provide report on a monthly basis.

JOB REQUIREMENT

Academic Requirement:

A degree at a bachelor’s level

Professional Experience Required:

• Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in hospitality industry or Sales & Marketing
• Experience in the Japanese (alcohol or bar) market a plus
• Interest in Wine & Spirits, Food is a plus.

Language:

Fluent Japanese at the level to deliver compelling brand seminar + handle Q&A sessions smoothly / English at business level

Key Competencies:

• Strong public speaking and story-telling capabilities.
• Entrepreneurship, maturity, and ownership to network with people locally and establish him or herself as a person behind the brands.
• Relationship building, Planning & organization.
• A person with energy and presence with professionalism, Engaging and fun to be around.
• Genuine power & drive for connecting and engaging with people, Determined & Passionate self-starter, Team player.

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