Rosé launch to refresh French pastis category

Pernod Ricard has launched 51 Rosé, a rosé version of its traditional anise-based 51, bringing something new to the French pastis category.

In the travel retail sector, Rosé 51 is exclusive to Aelia and accompanies Pastis 51 in sampling activations in Marseille Provence Airport and Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport this summer. Upon purchase shoppers will be gifted with a choice of items including the pastis carafe and branded 'piscine' glasses. A campaign is also on in bars, as well as in the social media, to try and revitalise the pastis category by recasting it as a trendy long summer drink.

“51 wishes to get things moving and bring a new experience on the market”, says Mathieu Deslandes, marketing director of Pernod. “We have been able to change the codes of pastis in the past four years thanks to our ‘piscine’ way of serving it, in a big balloon glass with a larger proportion of water and lots of ice.”

In addition to appealing to pastis aficionados, 51 Rosé (70cl) is also targeted younger female consumers with its notes of pink grapefruit, strawberry, blackcurrant and raspberry, and its lower ABV (35%) than Pastis 51(45%) and other traditional French pastis spirits.

29 July 2013 - Felicity Murray