With a shared passion for specialist rums, Harold Vieira and Hansa Palmer were the perfect couple to showcase some of the lesser-known premium varieties from the Portuguese island of Madeira. Both were born and raised on islands with a deep connection to rum, an essential part of both their cultures with a rich heritage. Harold is a native of Madeira and Hansa was born and grew up in Mauritius. For them, rum was never just a drink. So, when they decided to introduce two specialist hand-picked rums to the UK, they knew it was vital to get as much advertising and brand awareness as possible.
Harold explains: “We distribute premium rum and specialise in rum tasting events and masterclasses. We knew it was important to the bars and restaurants we were working with that we got our name out there and we were sure this was not something we would be able to do ourselves.
“We had a short campaign of just six months so we couldn’t afford not to get it right. It was clear from the outset that we needed to hand this over to a PR firm. To us it made total sense. They have the contacts, and they are used to working on campaigns.
“You have to trust them to know what they are doing and the last thing you need to be worrying about when launching a brand is trying to do your own publicity as well.
“I feel we really struck lucky with Panpathic. From the start it was obvious the team were on board with what we were trying to achieve. We really felt Chantal and all the team at Panpathic understood our goals. They worked hard for our business with the same sort of passion we have for it ourselves and we were blown away by that, it was so good to see. They were putting in the sort of effort we would put in ourselves to make it a success and I am not sure many others would do that with the same level of enthusiasm.
“To see a third party putting in the sort of effort we would put in ourselves and really wanting us to succeed was amazing. I am not sure we would have had the same level of enthusiasm with anyone else. I know, we can’t know that for sure obviously, but we won’t be taking the risk. We will be using Panpathic again, 100 percent, when we are ready to expand and when we have the budget again.”
In six months, the company reached 4 million people with more than 30 pieces of targeted coverage including Decanter, Refinery 29 and FQ, which covered both trade and consumers. There were also regular blogs, magazine, websites and local newspapers.
Harold says: “We were absolutely thrilled with the coverage we got, especially the article in Decanter, that really was the icing on the cake for us.
“It was important to us to be able to show our suppliers all the press coverage we got and although it’s difficult to quantify sales from a campaign like this one, we definitely increased our brand awareness, there is no doubt about that, so we were very happy with the whole campaign.
“The biggest advantage in getting such a lot of media coverage is the feeling that your product and your company has been validated. It’s tangible recognition of what you are doing, and it definitely gives you a buzz when you see your brand mentioned everywhere.
“I can’t really recommend the team at Panpathic enough. They were all wonderful to work with and really professional. We found they were always available to us and even when something unexpected came up during the campaign they dealt with it so quickly and efficiently.
“To us it makes total sense to use a PR company. I don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t. It completely takes the hassle out of everything, and our experience was definitely a positive one.”
ABOUT HAROLD & HANSA, SPECIALISTS IN MADEIRA RUM
Harold & Hansa, specialists in Madeira Rum, was established in 2021, with the mission to turn the spotlight on lesser known, premium quality rums from Madeira. Co-founder Harold Vieira is from this beautiful Portuguese island and his family has been involved in the rum trade for many years. Using exceptional varieties of sugarcane and a meticulous production process, Madeira creates some of the best rums in the world. The team at H&H The Madeira Rum Specialist handpick the finest rums from the island to bring to the trade and consumers in the UK. The company also organises Rum Tasting events to take you on a journey to discover the spirit of Madeira, sip by sip.
Web: https://www.haroldandhansa.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hh_madeirarumspecialist/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HaroldandHansaLtd
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/harold-hansa-ltd/