Brand reputations take years to build and seconds to destroy. Marketers know the importance of this. Unsurprisingly, when Asahi Beer, Japan’s iconic and beloved beer and a fixture in bars and restaurants across Asia, decided to reinvent itself for the first time since its inception in 1987, it was a big deal. It was a gamble. This global rebrand extends beyond the logo to a recipe change for its flagship beer, Super Dry.

With this initiative, Asahi aims to increase sales and expand its international footprint amidst fierce competition and declining market share. Leading this initiative in Asia is Marketing Director Loretta Lee.In an interview with motionHere, she talks about the future of the dynamically transforming brand and its shift towards wellness and beer culture. Lee also discussed the brand’s most important challenges and opportunities as it teeters on the brink of a stagnant beer market. Asahi, which is facing increased competition and declining market share, is hoping for a jump in sales next year to gain more than 16% and regain lost ground.

Scroll down for the full interview.

1. What are the three biggest marketing challenges for your brand right now?

1. Continue double-digit growth in the sluggish beer market. This means finding innovative and meaningful ways to differentiate from premium competitors and capture a larger share of existing markets.

2. Take your brand to the world stage. Asahi Super Dry has established itself as the number one authentic beer brand in Japan, but our challenge is to expand its presence and recognition on a global scale. This requires continued investment in international marketing efforts (such as our global partnership with City Football Group) to increase awareness and engage with a diverse international audience.

3. Innovation – Attract new consumers and explore new drinking opportunities. As a brand, we need to continually innovate to attract new consumers and create fresh drinking opportunities. This includes identifying emerging consumer trends, preferences and behaviors in the beverage industry.

2. What are the three biggest opportunities for your brand?

1. Growing interest in premium beer — There is a noticeable trend toward premium and craft beer among consumers seeking unique, high-quality beverage experiences. We leverage this by highlighting Asahi’s craftsmanship, quality ingredients and unique flavors.

2. Partnership opportunities that gain global attention – By working with strategic partners, you can significantly increase your brand visibility and expand your market reach. We are already making investments to premiumize our partnerships and fan experience, including our bar facilities at the Etihad Stadium and other stadiums around the world.

The beer market in Asia is growing. That’s exciting for us. As of 2022, China itself will account for half of Asia’s beer business by value. This, combined with the region’s rising disposable income, urbanization and changing consumer preferences, creates a lucrative opportunity for us.

3. In what areas are you increasing or reducing spending?

We are spending more on innovation. The idea is to bring products to consumers through unique activations that can’t be experienced anywhere else. With the rebranding of Asahi Super Dry in Singapore, the pop-up will include photo opportunities in the ‘Ingredients and Yeast Room’, a beer garden with Asahi Super Dry food pairings, live music and the chance to attend a tasting masterclass. was included.

Speaking of innovation, one of our most successful recent launches has been our unique, award-winning draft jug tin. [see below]. This launch was a huge hit in South Korea. We are planning to expand to Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan soon. We applied a special coating to the inside of the can to create a can that naturally releases fine bubbles when opened. Basically, you can enjoy the same taste of draft beer served at bars and restaurants in a can.

4. Give one example that will convince readers that your brand is leading the way when it comes to sustainability.

We are the custodians of some of the world’s most admired and popular beer brands, and we make beverages we are proud of. In line with the Group’s sustainability goals, one of the key steps we have taken is to aim to achieve zero waste at our breweries. We have already achieved 100% recycling of by-products and waste at all domestic production sites, and will continue to aim for 100% recycling of by-products and waste. All of our production sites in Japan already use renewable energy for 100% of the electricity we purchase.

5. What needs to change in your industry regarding work culture?

Focus on sustainability. We must ensure a healthy contribution to a sustainable planet and also respond to changing notions of well-being.

6. Metaverse Train Trend Jack: Is it for your brand?

We are all for embracing new trends. The Metaverse has definitely captured our attention and we’ve all been experimenting with it in one form or another.

To celebrate the launch of Manchester City’s official training kit, we have released a social media campaign featuring star players using AR filters to enhance their new training kit.

Recently, to commemorate the 36th anniversary of Asahi Super Dry in March of this year, the Asahi Super Dry NFT card collection was released worldwide. This was the group’s first foray into the NFT market on a global scale.

The Metaverse is evolving and we will continue to find further opportunities for Asahi Super Dry to engage with our audiences and create immersive modern Japanese experiences.

7. Complete the sentence “Today’s CMO must be…”.

Intrapreneur. As well as proposing creative ideas, we must be commercially motivated and able to inspire others by working towards a common vision.

8. What kind of marketer are you? Please answer using up to three adjectives.

A sincere, positive, and caring person.

Lee attended a recent brand trip showcasing modern Japan.

Mr. Lee and media personnel

9. What keeps you up at night?

How can we change things for better results? I’m always looking for ways to improve marketing strategies, tactics, and campaigns to drive better business results. To achieve this, we must embrace a culture of continuous learning and innovation. That is only possible by remaining open and agile.