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Cannes, Day 3: No more use of the 'P' word, please!

Published:  30 October, 2008

It's day three (and my last day, sadly) in Cannes, and I'm sporting a minor hangover, thanks to a very nice dinner with the Pernod Ricard lot last night. They took a bus load of journalists up into the hills for dinner at a michellin starred restaurant at which I managed to drink just enough wine to give me a bit of a fuzzy head this morning.

It's day three (and my last day, sadly) in Cannes, and I'm sporting a minor hangover, thanks to a very nice dinner with the Pernod Ricard lot last night. They took a bus load of journalists up into the hills for dinner at a michellin starred restaurant at which I managed to drink just enough wine to give me a bit of a fuzzy head this morning.

There wasn't too much talking shop at dinner, but at some point the 'P' word was mentioned. And if you've been at Cannes this week, you'll probably be able to guess what that word is (I'm not trying to be rude here, by the way). The 'P' word is premiumisation. Which, I would like to point out, isn't even actually a word in the English dictionary. But it hasn't stopped every bloody drinks company using it to excess in Cannes.

Some examples of conversations I've had this week:

Q 'How would you sum up the future of the travel-retail industry?'
A 'Premiumisation'.

Q 'How will you alter your strategy to cope with the effects of the credit crunch?'
A 'Premiumisation'.

Q 'Can you tell me where I can find the nearest ATM machine?'
A 'Premiumisation'.

OK I made up the last one, but you get the point. And more to the point, I get the point. Premiumisation is, apparently, the way forward for those drinks brands that want to stay in the travel-retail game as it faces the effects of the credit crunch and falling passenger numbers. So, in other words, drinks companies are putting their focus on their most pricey brands, because the mantra is that people with money will still spend money during the downturn.

But please guys, there's got to be another way of putting it? It's been used so much in Cannes this week, that the mention of the 'P' word at dinner prompted one Pernod Ricard bod to bang down his cutlery and declare the word banned from conversation for the rest of the night (and they're the ones who, according to their website are 'following a strategy that can be summed up in one word: Premiumisation'!)

If I had a pound for every time I'd heard the word this week I'd be able to afford to buy myself at least one bottle of premium whisky at the airport I reckon.

Speaking of which, I have a plane to catch so for Cannesm and the TFWA this year, its au revoir from me.

Claire Weekes
Editor
TalkingDrinks.com

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