Britons outside of London often feel ignored by brands and advertisers, so in order to better connect with them, Pernod Ricard has opened an event space in the heart of Manchester. We explore the insights behind why brands should make a greater effort to involve those beyond the capital.
The Loft will host a variety of events from pop-up restaurants to conferences. “Like a lot of UK businesses, London is [our] hub and we realised that there are other places in the UK to hang out and go out in,” says Kenny Hyslop, head of experiential marketing at Pernod Ricard. “Twenty-five percent of our workforce live within ten miles of Manchester and we do bustling trade here.” The brand is ensuring that it understands the local community by hiring people from successful regional eateries and asking nearby businesses and customers to visit the space and 'come on the journey' with them. It will also be home to a regular bartender club, inviting bartenders from across the North for cocktail events.
Brands are having trouble connecting with the entirety of the UK – people living outside London are 21% more likely to say that brands do not aim their advertising at those in their local area. “There's been much talk of a London bubble, [but] by looking at a brand level this index really helps us to understand the severity of the situation,” says Andrew Tenzer, head of group insight at Trinity Mirror. “Now more than ever, brands need to ensure they are connecting with people, especially outside London.” And with 78% of the fastest growing firms of 2016 based outside of London, Pernod Ricard is on the right track by taking a more outward-facing approach to expansion.
This means that the brands that do target regional consumers and try to understand their needs will stand out. However, it’s important that any businesses looking to expand out of the capital recognise the distinctiveness of regional cultures. “We’re very aware that we’re coming into Manchester and we want to integrate into the local community,” says Hyslop. “We don’t want to be seen as a company coming in and [importing] everyone from outside.”
Rebecca Smith is a behavioral analyst at Canvas8, which specializes in behavioral insights and consumer research. She has worked with a number of global brands to help them better understand the mindsets of their audiences, from what people want from fake tan to how they feel about technology. Outside of work, you’ll find her binge-watching anime or with her nose stuck in a fantasy novel.
