Vimto
by Sihlangu Tshuma
I am one of those unfortunate men who sometimes run out of ways to please the woman of the house. Yet in a way I consider myself fortunate as it only takes a bottle of Vimto to please her. The purple mix is a hit, not just in my household. Vimto’s performance in the beverages market can only be described as phenomenal. The Merseyside-based soft drink is currently experiencing rave popularity internationally. After a century of production, Vimto is now consumed twice more overseas than in the UK. Its centennial existence was celebrated with the posting of a 39% rise in pre-tax profit for the first half of the year, driven by strong trading over the period.
The question then is how has the Vimto brand managed to stack up against the beverage giants like Coca-cola. The secret is being different. We have always known that it pays being unique, but the Vimto story hammers the point more emphatically than any other. Brendan Hynes, Nichols chief executive says Vimto does not compete head on with brands such as Coca-Cola, as they do not have a dilute fruit drink. “We compete by being different.” Simples!
The product has also benefited from the unthinkable, that is finding itself among the dates and other foods that the Muslims consume during Ramadan. Vimto is most popular in the Middle East for fasting Muslims looking for a quick and refreshing energy boost when at sunset.
The lesson I take away from the Vimto is the importance of being different. There is clearly not much to be gained by trying to pump carbon-dioxide when Coca-cola are already doing it so well. Vimto invaded the sleepy concentrate drinks sector and emerged as the strongest brand among the others. How this product branded as a children’s delight managed to find its way into the hearts of the adults is a topic for future discussion.
