William Grant & Sons

William&Grant&&&Sons&–&EVOLVING&THE&AMBASSADOR&MODEL&

June%5th%2016%

©"2016"David"O’Higgins"

The"Road"Less"Travelled"–"New"WG"Brand"Ambassador"Model%

Voice%–%Human%Principles%

William%Grant%&%Sons%–%EVOLVING%THE%AMBASSADOR%MODEL%

Gestalt&=&An&organized&whole&that&is&perceived&as&more&than&the&sum&of&its&parts&

I%haven’t%seen%the%current%template%so%I’m%shooting%in%the%dark%here.%Nevertheless%I%think%the%

whole%point%of%having%such%a%corporate%initiative%is%to%excite%and%motivate%employees%and%

ultimately%consumers%as%to%the%potential%nature%of%William%Grant’s%social,%cultural%and%economic%

contribution%to%the%world.%The%new%ambassador%model%should%also%throw%down%the%gauntlet%to%

competitors%in%terms%of%innovation%and%heightened%standards%of%excellence.%


William Grant & Sons Fall 2017




Your&only&the&crazy&one&if&you&are&the&Kirst&one&to&do&it&

A%good%way%to%evolve%the%model%is%to%originate%unconventional%ways%of%seeing%conventional%

industry%thinking,%then%build%viable%brand,%marketing%and%business%development%possibilities%

around%those%perspectives.%I’ve%put%some%ideas%together%regarding%the%issues%you%raised%and%

framed%them%as%facets%of%a%new%ambassador%archetype%–%facets%which%explore%the%potentiality%of%

the%William%Grant%phenomenon%when%its%future%is%anticipated%from%the%outside%looking%in.%%

All%of%the%scenarios%alluded%to%in%the%following%pages%can%be%realized.%Bringing%the%proposed%%

model%to%fruition%however%should%be%the%task%of%William%Grant’s%Chief%Innovation%OfWicer%

and%his%or%her%team.%

William Grant & Sons





Food&for&thought&–&A&recent&brochure&for&the&Absolut&Company&


Grants%The$Next$Genera,on$

Zero$G$

Weightless%Exclusivity%





Developing&the&portfolio&&

With%the%exception%of%HENDRICKS%and%the%above%example,%all%the%ideas%contained%herein%exclude%

William%Grant%products.%This%is%because%the%suggested%new%ambassador%model%is%designed%to%

elevate%the%William%Grant%corporate%brand%as%an%exciting,%progressive%and%culturally%relevant%

encompassment%–%a%gestalt%element%whose%proposed%differentiating%qualities%will%migrate%

organically%to%inWluence%the%development%of%all%the%components%contained%within%its%realm.%%%

Off%–Earth%Duty%Free%for%Space%Travelers%

Commercial%Space%Travel%will%Be%A%Reality%In%Less%Than%10%Years%


William%Grant%&%Sons%–%New%Ambassador%Model%

The%Road%Less%Travelled%




AMBASSADOR&MODEL&CONCEPT&&

Facets%

1  Essence%

2  Positioning%

3  DiversiWication%%

4  Multiculturalism%

5  Distribution%

6  Politics%

7  Penetration%

8%%%%%%%Investment%


William"Grant"&"Sons"–"Evolving"the"Ambassador"Model%


1.&ESSENCE&




1.&ESSENCE&–&MISSION%&

To&create&preference&through&differentiation&

Preference%creates%demand.%

•  There%are%millions%of%MP3%players%–%Only%one%IPOD.%

•  There%are%thousands%of%airlines%–%Only%one%Virgin.%%

•  There%are%hundreds%of%stout%beers%–%Only%one%Guinness.%

.%





1.&ESSENCE&–&PURPOSE&&

To&convey&a&compelling&message&with&a&singular&voice&in&a&universal&language&

•  Compelling%Message%–%Shared%Value.%%

•  Singular%Voice%–%Human%Qualities.%

•  Universal%Language%–%Good%Design.%%

W G





1.&ESSENCE&–&PURPOSE&–&COMPELLING&MESSAGE&

Shared&value&

To%create%wealth%and%worth%for%William%Grant%employees,%the%William%Grant%Company,%and%society%

as%a%whole.%%


Fortitude Whisky%with%Ice%–%Race%to%the%Pole%

Parity Florae%–%Whisky%for%Women%

Enlightenment Girvan%Book%Festival%

Wellness Alcohol%Intake%Tracking%





1.&ESSENCE&–&PURPOSE&–&SINGULAR&VOICE&

Human&qualities&

I’m%going%to%suggest%replacing%the%Wive%inwardly%facing%William%Grant%corporate%values%or%

directives%with%three%new%outwardly%facing%human%qualities.%%

•  Existing"Values"–%Pride%–%Responsibility%–%Professionalism%–%Entrepreneurialism.%

•  New"Qualities"–%Ingenuity%–%Intimacy%–%Idiosyncrasy.%%






Human%qualities%–%Ingenuity&

Throughout%history%the%Scottish%people%have%demonstrated%an%innate%inventiveness.%From%Watt,%to%

Telford%to%William%Grant%himself,%all%have%worked%and%innovated%to%better%the%human%experience.%%






Human%Qualities%–%Ingenuity&–&Hendricks&Botanicum&

And%so%it%is%with%William%Grant,%an%enterprise%whose%purpose,%beyond%the%fulWillment%of%its%

commercial%needs,%is%to%create%fresh%visceral,%emotional%and%spiritual%pleasures%for%men%and%

women%everywhere,%at%any%time%and%in%any%place.%%

H E N D R I C K S Botanicum

Edinburgh . New York . Los Angeles

Elixirs . Tonics . Infusions




H E N D R I C K S Botanicum




Human%Qualities%–%Intimacy&

Since%ancient%times,%the%storytelling%traditions%of%the%Celtic%and%Gaelic%peoples%have%served%to%keep%

their%histories%and%identities%alive.%No%doubt,%said%tales%were%often%exchanged%by%the%light%of%the%

moon%and%the%camp%Wire.%Today,%we%all%continue%the%tradition%in%as%much%as%we%love%to%converse%

with%friends,%whilst%gazing%into%the%Wlames%with%a%good%whisky%in%hand.%



Girvan%Book%Festival%




Human%Qualities%–%Intimacy&–&Girvan&Book&Festival&

Storytelling%is%an%act%of%social%intimacy%that%is%of%great%signiWicance%to%Scottish%and%Irish%cultures.%

Whisky%is%the%perfect%accompaniment%and%indeed%catalyst%for%such%an%act.%It%is%only%logical%

therefore%to%propose%the%idea%of%intimacy%in%this%context%as%a%basic%William%Grant%brand%

characteristic%and%guide%to%possible%future%consumer%interactions%such%as%a%book%festival%–%a%

Scottish%equivalent%of%the%internationally%renowned%HaybonbWye%book%festival.&





Human%Qualities%–%Idiosyncrasy&

Paul%Smith%has%managed%to%create%an%enchanting%fashion%brand%that%blends%British%traditionalism%

with%a%modernist%sensibility%and%a%distinct%aura%of%his%own%English%idiosyncrasy.%%





Human%qualities%–%Idiosyncrasy&–&Brand&spirit&

BeWitting%then,%for%William%Grant%to%apply%the%Paul%Smith%way%of%being%and%doing%as%a%means%to%

express%the%richness%of%its%corporate%persona.%







Human%qualities%–%Idiosyncrasy&–&Ghost&Hunter&Distillery&–&Brooklyn&

Scottish%Scotch?%American%whisky?%This%enduring%confusion%and%source%of%debate%amongst%whisky%

aWicionados%has%prompted%William%Grant%to%encourage%people%to%determine%the%difference%for%

themselves,%bearing%in%mind%that%technically,%the%word%‘Scotch’%is%an%abbreviation%of%‘Scottish’%and%

therefore%used%incorrectly%in%reference%to%whisky.%You%have%Scottish%whisky%and%you%have%

American%whisky%–%end%of%story.%%

Scottish American American Scottish



Scottish American American Scottish




Human%qualities%–%Idiosyncrasy&–&Ghost&Catcher&Distillery&–&Girvan&

Nevertheless,%William%Grant%and%American%distillers%have%combined%their%artisanal%expertise%to%

create%a%ScottishbAmerican%and%an%AmericanbScottish%whisky,%each%with%a%Wlavor%accent%that%plays%

to%its%respective%homeland%–%the%idea%being,%to%help%people%appreciate%the%subtle%nuances%in%taste%

between%the%two%variances%of%‘liquid%sunshine.’&




1.&ESSENCE&–&PURPOSE&–&UNIVERSAL&LANGUAGE&

Good&design&

In%most%cases,%the%integrity%of%a%company%can%be%evaluated%by%the%standards%of%design%excellence%

and%innovation%inherent%in%the%products%they%make.%Good%design%goes%beyond%borders%to%

differentiate%companies%in%culturally%magnetic%ways%and%creates%consumer%preference%on%a%global%

scale.%Good%design%speaks%to%all.%





2.&POSITIONING&




2.&POSITIONING&–&LIFE&ENHANCER&

Modern%life%is%so%fast%we%miss%most%of%it.%William%Grant%should%be%represented%as%a%dimension%of%

life’s%quality.%Today,%the%real%existential%luxuries%are%personal%time%and%space.%Let%William%Grant%

help%people%to%create%these%luxuries%for%themselves.%Slow%down,%savor%William%Grant%products,%

reWlect,%and%love%life.%

S l o w D o w n . L o v e L i f e



William Grant & Sons S l o w D o w n . L o v e L i f e



2.&POSITIONING&–&CHAMPION&OF&CHAMPIONS&

Nowadays,%the%passivity%of%consumers%has%been%superseded%by%a%desire%on%their%part%to%fulWill%their%

own%ambitions%and%express%their%own%ideas.%Selfbactualization%and%the%role%companies%can%play%in%

empowering%people%to%achieve%this%higher%condition%of%being%is%an%important%consideration%when%

creating%a%strategy%for%growth.%I%have%included%some%examples%of%how%William%Grant%might%do%this.%






Helping&to&create&a&truly&civilized&global&society&

Whisky%is%targeted%at%men.%Many%women%may%drink%whisky%but%whisky%is%deWinitely%aimed%at%men.%

This%is%the%implicit%alcohol%beverage%industry%mindset.%William%Grant%can%disrupt%this%way%of%

thinking%to%its%advantage.%The%Census%Bureau%has%projected%that%one%billion%women%will%enter%the%

global%workforce%within%the%next%decade.%More%women%will%be%doing%the%highbstress%things%that%

men%traditionally%used%to%do,%in%all%walks%of%professional%life,%only%better.%So%why%not%whisky%

consumption?%God%knows%they’re%going%to%need%it,%especially%if%their%whisky%of%choice%actually%

contributes%Winancially%to%the%establishment%of%global%gender%parity.%






Florae&–&Single&malt&whisky&range&for&women&&&

Now%is%the%time%to%create%a%whisky%for%women.%Of%course,%said%whisky%won’t%say%‘for%women’%on%the%

label,%the%marketing%will%do%that.%This%scenario%presents%an%opportunity%for%William%Grant%to%not%

only%create%a%massive%new%market%and%mindset,%but%more%importantly,%to%originate%a%new%and%

inWluential%set%of%brand%champions,%namely%professional%women.%

Incidentally,%a%signiWicant%part%of%Florae%proWits%will%go%to%the%advancement%of%women’s%healthcare%

and%education%in%the%third%world%–%Talk%about%building%female%consumer%preference.%

Florae

W G C l o u d b e r r y

Single%Malt%Whisky%%

Cloudberry%

Highland%Herb%Accentuation%

Product%of%Scotland%


W G M e a d o w s w e e t


Meadowsweet%




W G W i l d H o n e y s u c k l e


Wild%Honeysuckle%%







The&champions&

Female%entrepreneurs,%adventurers,%pioneers,%and%free%thinkers%abound%in%the%modern%world.%

These%nascent%consumers%of,%and%advocates%for%the%Florae%brand%will%reinforce%William%Grant’s%

association%with%the%culturally%magnetic%social%issue%of%gender%equality.%–%In%other%words,%PR%gold%

dust%that%will%stimulate%proWitability%for%the%company%until%universal%gender%parity%is%established,%

and%that%wont%be%for%years.%





2.&POSITIONING&–&NURTURER&

William%Grant%was%an%inventor,%so%its%appropriate%then%for%the%William%Grant%Company%to%help%

inventors%everywhere%get%their%projects%noticed,%funded%and%realized.%%How%about%a%national%

competition%along%these%lines?%The%‘Hoots%Mon,%it’s%a%Beauty’%contest%for%example.%



Hoots Mon – It’s a Beauty !



3.&DIVERSIFICATION&




3.&DIVERSIFICATION&–&EXPRESSING&THE&BRAND&WITH&A&NEW&ELOQUENCE&

The%idea%of%whisky%is%complex%and%enigmatic%so%it%requires%means%of%expression%and%interfaces%

that%convey%the%subtle%essence%of%said%notion.%Bars,%liquor%stores%and%internet%ads%just%don’t%make%

the%cut.%If%William%Grant%is%going%to%connect%with%tomorrow’s%quixotic%selfbobsessed%consumer%its%

going%to%have%Wind%original%ways%to%do%so.%

William Grant Brand Phenomena



William Grant & Sons Miami Basel 2017

W G London . Edinburgh . New York



3.&DIVERSIFICATION&–&MEN’S&FASHION&

Modern&prestige&

A%fresh%connection%to%a%new%generation%of%male%consumers.%

Whisky&&&Fashion&

•  Style%&%Taste.%

•  Design%&%Texture.%

•  Tradition%&%Modernity.%

•  Craftsmanship%&%Innovation.%



William Grant & Sons Fall 2017



3.&DIVERSIFICATION&–&MEN’S&FASHION&ACCESSORIES&

Modern&exclusivity&

A%means%to%brand%renewal.%






3.&DIVERSIFICATION&–&WOMEN’S&FASHION&

Modern&prestige&

A%fresh%connection%to%a%new%generation%of%female%consumers.%

Whisky&&&Fashion&

•  Style%&%Taste.%

•  Design%&%Texture.%

•  Tradition%&%Modernity.%

•  Craftsmanship%&%Innovation.%






3.&DIVERSIFICATION&–&WOMEN’S&FASHION&

Modern&exclusivity&

A%means%to%brand%renewal.%


William Grant Glassware



3.&DIVERSIFICATION&–&GLASSWARE&

Modern&prestige&

Its%not%just%about%the%liquor.%Today,%packaging%is%a%key%inWluencer%with%regard%to%consumer%

preference%and%purchasing%decisions.%Bottle%design%innovation%is%important.%Glass%plays%an%

important%role%in%the%alcohol%beverage%industry%so,%a%natural%product%line%extension%is%glassware.%

Amazon%is%selling%lowbend%ownbbrand%porcelain,%why%can’t%William%Grant%offer%highbend%ownb

brand%glassware?%




4.&MULTICULTURALISM&




4.&MULTICULTURALISM&–&DON’T&THROW&THE&BABY&OUT&

Back%in%the%nineties,%British%Airways%spent%millions%of%dollars%on%a%rebranding%exercise%based%on%a%

corporate%desire%to%be%perceived%as%a%multibcultural%organization.%The%exercise%failed%in%

spectacular%fashion.%Since%then,%many%Western%leaders%have%openly%conceded%that%the%modern%

European%political%experiment%in%multiculturalism%has%also%collapsed.%

Trying%to%be%all%things%to%all%people%is%a%fruitless%exercise%at%best.%Nevertheless%there%is%always%

pressure%for%companies%to%diversify%their,%products,%services%and%organizations%in%order%to%increase%

market%share.%As%previously%mentioned,%the%answer%is%to%communicate%a%compelling%message%with%

a%singular%voice%in%a%universal%language.%




4.&MULTICULTURALISM&–&WHISKY&WITH&ICE&

Race&to&the&Pole&

Climbing%Mt.%Everest%is%now%the%sport%of%kings,%or%rather%internet%billionaires,%and%the%ISS%is%

operated%by%multibethnic,%mixedbgender%crews.%Why%not%use%these%two%realities%as%inspiration%to%

create%a%new%multibethnic,%mixedbgender%adventurebbased%competition%–%one%that%plays%to%the%

heritage%of%the%William%Grant%brand.%Most%polar%explorers%have%resorted%to%whisky%as%a%heartb

warming%tonic%when%the%going%on%their%expeditions%got%tough.%

Introducing%Whisky%with%Ice,%the%William%Grant%sponsored%race%to%the%North%Pole%where%every%

participant%is%allowed%a%one%shot%ration%a%day,%providing%that%said%intake%is%accompanied%by%a%

philosophical%cultural%perspective,%to%camera,%on%the%human%condition%in%extremis.%

Whisky With Ice Race to the Pole




5.&DISTRIBUTION&




5.&DISTRIBUTION&–&WIN&THE&MONOPOPLY&GAME&

Once%upon%a%time%there%were%eleven%distributors.%Now%there%are%two.%Well%that’s%a%monopoly,%and%

monopolies%are%designed%to%be%broken.%The%question%is,%can%William%Grant%do%the%breaking?%Think%

of%the%opportunity%within%the%difWiculty%before%you%close%this%one%down.%

Talk%to%FEDbEX.%They%have%the%logistics%and%distribution%capabilities%you%need.%William%Grant%has%

the%business%growth%opportunity%they%need.%Obviously%FEDbEX%isn’t%going%to%get%involved%with%

alcohol%distribution%directly,%so%you%and%they%would%need%to%create%a%new%entity.%Let’s%call%it%VOOM.%

Set%VOOM%up%as%you%would%any%alcohol%distributor%and%then%apply%VOOM’S%imported%knowbhow%to%

run%the%operation.%Start%with%one%hub.%Identify%the%outlets%within%the%hub’s%vicinity,%create%and%

VOOMbbrand%a%preferred%list%of%outlet%partners,%and%off%you%go.%Think%of%the%control,%the%freedom%

and%the%proWit%you’ll%create%by%such%a%move.%


VOOM . COM




6.&POLITICS&




6.&POLITICS&–&SIDES&OF&THE&COIN&

Marketing%and%sales%departments%have%always%hated%each%other,%and%I’ve%never%seen%the%logic%in%

this%predicament.%Both%are%dependent%upon%each%other%for%their%existence.%It’s%the%same%situation%

with%the%shortbterm%tactical%hindsight%driven%cats%and%the%longbterm%strategic%foresight%motivated%

dogs.%They%cannot%exist%without%each%other.%The%answer%then%is%for%marketing%to%build%an%

argument%for%the%necessity%of%sales%and%vice%versa.%Both%need%to%experience%each%other’s%worlds%in%

order%to%get%to%the%same%‘yes.’%

MARKETING Important Tomorrow Long-term Strategic

Sexy Idealistic

SALES Urgent Today

Short-term Tactical

Not Sexy Practical




7.&PENETRATION&




7.&PENETRATION&–&DO&PERU&

From%a%Latino%perspective,%the%alcohol%beverage%market%is%awash%with%tequila,%rum%and%even%pisco.%

Chicha?%Not%so%much.%Nevertheless%chicha%is%enormously%popular%in%many%south%American%

countries,%especially%Peru.%

So%here’s%the%plan.%Create%a%delicious%chicha,%package%and%brand%it%beautifully%–%let’s%call%it%Nazcan.%

Build%a%nonbcheesy%story%around%Nazcan%–%one%embracing%ancient%myth,%romance%and%adventure.%%

Distribute%Nazcan%in%limited%quantities%to%Latino%bars%and%restaurants%in%Lima%and%then%southern%

California.%Give%the%brand%time%to%ferment%a%buzz%through%word%of%mouth%in%the%Hispanic%

community,%then%release%chicha%to%upbmarket%hotels.%Voila,%some%Latino%market%penetration.%%

Restrict%the%supply%–%create%demand.%





8.&INVESTMENT&




8.&INVESTMENT&–&THE&NEW&GOLD&RUSH&&

PWC%has%dubbed%it%the%new%health%economy.%Whatever%you%call%it,%the%global%healthcare%market%is%

worth%an%estimated%U.S.%$9.59%trillion,%and%is%expected%to%grow%as%the%levels%of%chronic%addictionb

related%health%issues,%such%as%obesity,%diabetes,%and%cancer%increase%worldwide.%Of%course,%this%

business%reality%has%not%been%lost%on%the%private%sector.%




8.&INVESTMENT&–&THE&NEW&DIVERSIFICATION&

Think&different&–&Do&different&&

Of%the%current%Fortune%500%companies,%38%have%a%major%stake%in%healthcare.%24%of%those%are%new%

entrants.%Some%well%known%consumerbfocused%brands%are%also%expanding%their%offerings.%Ford%is%

developing%services%for%managing%chronic%health%conditions,%Time%Warner%is%partnering%with%

Cleveland%Clinic%to%advance%virtual%checkbups%and%many%of%Samsung’s%smartbphones%now%include%

heartbrate%monitors.%And%Nestle%Health%Science%has%acquired%companies%specializing%in%clinical%

nutritional%products%to%reinforce%its%position%in%the%growing%‘specialized%nutrition’%market.%%





8.&INVESTMENT&–&&THE&NEW&LATERAL&THINKING&

The&healthcare&game&

Nintendo%recently%announced%that%it%had%plans%to%expand%into%health%products%and%services%geared%

towards%improving%quality%of%life.%According%to%the%company’s%CEO,%Satoru%Iwata,%Nintendo%wants%

to%“create%an%environment%in%which%more%people%are%conscious%about%their%health,”%and%I%presume,%

increase%the%company’s%user%base%at%the%same%time.%It%seems%that%almost%any%corporation,%with%a%

reasonable%degree%of%lateral%thinking%can%justify%their%entry%into%the%healthcare,%or%should%I%say%

wellness%market?%William%Grant%is%no%exception.%




8.&INVESTMENT&–&DRINK&RESPONSIBLY&

Walking&the&talk&

This%is%your%point%of%entry%into%the%new%health%economy.%All%alcohol%beverages%must%carry%health%

warnings,%and%that’s%as%far%as%most,%if%not%all%manufacturers%of%said%products%go%to%ensure%the%

health%of%their%consumers.%The%industry%mindset%is%that%any%action%beyond%the%application%of%this%

proviso%is%tantamount%to%an%admission%of%complicity%in%the%creation%of%the%West’s%current%

alcoholism%epidemic.%%

William%Grant%can%however,%manipulate%this%situation%to%its%advantage%by%turning%implicit%oldb

world%industry%thinking%on%its%head.%William%Grant%can%go%further%to%protect%the%health%interests%of%

a%new%generation%of%consumers.%Its%worth%doing%because%people%will%reward%you%for%it.%




8.&INVESTMENT&–&DRINK&RESPONSIBLY&–&THINK&LATERALLY&

The&walk’s&rationale&

Think%about%car%ads%–%All%those%Mazda’s%and%Audi’s%tearing%around%Death%Valley%or%Downtown,%

inviting%us%to%drive%like%maniacs.%Yet%all%cars%have%amazing%safety%features.%William%Grant%can%do%

something%similar.%Driving%involves%an%acceptable%level%of%risk.%It’s%the%same%with%alcohol%

consumption.%Your%company%could%quite%legitimately%create%advanced%product%‘safety%features’%and%

garner%very%positive%PR%in%the%process.%Partner%with%a%healthcare%company%to%develop%better%

technologies%to%help%people%control%their%alcohol%consumption%behavior%more%effectively.%By%doing%

something%like%this,%William%Grant%will%differentiate%itself%and%create%consumer%preference.%





8.&INVESTMENT&–&RESPONSIBLE&DRNKING&–&LATERAL&THINKING&

The&walk&will&do&us&all&good&

Investing%in%healthcare%will%provide%William%Grant%with%something%most%companies%are%clamoring%

for%nowadays.%Business%leaders%are%tired%of%being%attacked%for%being%the%‘bad%guys.’%Many%of%them%

want%to%have%a%clear%purpose%and%rationale%as%to%why%they%exist%and%how%society%beneWits%from%

them.%This%time%around%its%not%about%charity%or%social%responsibility%or%sustainability%or%

transparency,%its%about%doing%things%that%will%create%shared%value%for%the%company%and%society%over%

the%long%term.%A%Winal%word%on%the%subject%–%whatever%the%healthcare%industry,%the%medical%

profession,%the%government%and%or%the%alcohol%beverage%industry%have%done%to%prevent%alcohol%

addiction%has%failed%absolutely.%The%CDC%statistics%prove%it,%so%seize%the%day,%its%yours%for%the%taking.%%%%

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