Cheers to the queens! Kingfisher unveils new beer aimed at women

Vikram Bahl, CMO of United Breweries Limited, in an interview with Bizz Buzz, discussed the launch of Queenfisher, a new beer brand celebrating female friendship. Queenfisher aims to be inclusive, unlike most beer advertising that has traditionally targeted men. Bahl talks about the inspiration behind the brand, its unique selling points, and the marketing strategies employed to reach women across India. He also details the taste profile of the Queenfisher brew and the upcoming rollout plans

What was the rationale behind the Queenfisher launch?

Kingfisher as a brand has always stood for inclusivity and brewing authentic connections. Queenfisher hence stems from a similar belief, where we want to celebrate moments of sisterhood across all groups of friends. It’s a powerful and essential bond that every woman cherishes. It goes beyond blood relations and encompasses the connections they forge with other women who uplift, inspire, and support them. The entire campaign hence stems from taking a moment to celebrate this very special bond of sisterhood! This has been an all-women initiative, brewed by female brewers and ensuring we all have a new can to raise a toast to the queens in our lives.

What is the size of the target audience you hope to reach?

We believe we have a great offering here with a new brew under a new brand and packaging and can’t wait for consumers nation-wide to try this. The communication in the beer landscape has for the longest time been targeted at men. This is where Queenfisher stands to make a difference. It’s a brand and initiative that celebrates women and sisterhood and looks at a more inclusive approach in category that has been skewed towards one segment of the society.

Is there anything in the brew that women would relate to the brand?

With the target group in discussion, there is interest in smoother, more sessional beer that also provides an array of flavour profiles to the discerning consumer. To cater to this demand, we have created the brew of Queenfisher. It has an aromatic profile with well-balanced esters resulting in a fruity flavorful experience. It is also smoother, having an extended fermentation process at a low temperature using our traditional lager yeast.

How would you reach out to a target audience that is scattered in the length and breadth of the country given the limitations of advertising?

We have tailored our marketing strategies to appeal to consumers seeking unique and niche beer experiences by highlighting the craftsmanship behind its products, emphasizing quality ingredients, and engaging consumers through experiential events and digital platforms.

Tell us more about the campaign?

The entire campaign is a celebration of sisterhood with a fresh brew and also a fresh perspective on the iconic calendar, now reimagined as The Galendar. The Galendar captures real-life stories of women. Shot by Avani Rai, every page has a QR code which upon scanning shows the unique moments of sisterhood of that circle as captured in films by the director Kopal Naithani. The unique microsite allows the public to experience the world of sisterhood as told by the women and also create their own personalized Galendars and share with others. The Queenfisher beer is an all-women initiative right from formulating the limited-edition Queenfisher can to it being brewed by women brewers.

What are the key USPs of the brand that would make Queenfisher beer endear to women?

Our beers are renowned for their exceptional taste, aroma, and quality. Each brew is meticulously crafted to offer a unique drinking experience, whether it's the refreshing Heineken or the iconic Kingfisher. Speaking specifically about Queenfisher, this lager beer boasts a rich hoppy aroma and a pleasantly low bitterness. It features a well-balanced ester profile, resulting in a fruity and flavorful experience that quenches your thirst. Our extended fermentation process at low temperatures, using traditional lager yeast, ensures a complete rounded profile, while the maturation period enhances cleaner and crisper beer flavors. In designing the can, we aimed to embody the spirit of inclusivity, featuring silhouettes of diverse women against a vibrant new purple colour introduced to the iconic Kingfisher brand palette. We also elevated the iconic bird by giving it a crown, paying homage to all the queens celebrated through this campaign.

What is the time frame for taking the brand pan India?

We hope to scale up the new launch of Queenfisher across the country. We believe we have a great offering here with a new brew under a new brand and packaging and can’t wait for consumers nation-wide to try this.

What are the major marketing promotions that you have planned that make the brand sustainable in the future?

Our aim is to make consumers experience the brand of Queenfisher across various touch points. From in-store visibility and article promotions to activating events with our institutional partners, something we have excelled in under Kingfisher. These promotions and curated experiences will be channelled through both our traditional and modern trade outlets in the months to come.

How long do you reckon it would take to make it profitable?

We at UBL have always maintained one of our objectives of creating profitable variants and plan launches accordingly. We have experienced success with recent launches, reflecting our commitment to innovation and meeting evolving consumer preferences. The introduction of Heineken silver and silver draught beers, along with Kingfisher ultra max draught beer in Karnataka, have garnered attention. We aim to position Queenfisher as a premium yet accessible across the country.

Do you feel the brand will resonate with the queen of good times?

Kingfisher as a brand, has always stood for inclusivity and brewing authentic connections. Queenfisher hence stems from a similar belief. The proposition of good times has hence stemmed from celebrating moments together, in a group. This is where the celebration of sisterhood also stems from and hence very organically fits in with our tagline of queen of good times.

Queenfisher is our way of celebrating inclusivity and the unstoppable force of female friendship. We pop our cans, not just to celebrate women, but to honour the secret superpowers they wield in their everyday connections. Here’s to the queens among us, who sparkle brighter when they shine together! Queenfisher lager beer can is competitively priced at Rs 80 per 500 ml and readily available at leading outlets across Goa. This new addition to the portfolio of Kingfisher will also be available across other cities in the coming months.