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The Connecticut/Westchester alumni club enjoyed picnicking
on a private beach in Stamford. |
Connecticut
/ Westchester Co.
This
last quarter, the CT/Westchester alumni club kicked off
its new programming with a couple of events that mixed
social gathering and more serious business issues. On July
27 we had a wonderful picnic at a private beach in Stamford.
On a sunny, warm Sunday afternoon, more than 25 alums and
spouses attended with their kids (future Kelloggians).
We had catered food along with potluck appetizers and desserts.
Alums from Kraft Foods contributed, and alums working for
Diageo contributed beer, margaritas and wines.
Since
we had not had a CT club event in more than 1 1/2 years,
it was great for alums to connect with each another. We
had participants from as far back as the class of 1979
all the
way up to 2002. Special thanks to Jerry Joliet ’97
for helping to organize this event.
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Ivan Menezes '84, CEO designate of Diageo North
America, speaking to the Connecticut/Westchester
County Alumni club about building global brands. |
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On
Sept. 4 in Stamford, Ivan Menezes ’84, CEO designate
of Diageo North America, spoke at the OCEAN 211 restaurant
to an enthusiastic crowd of more than 40 attendees at an
event coordinated by Andrew Malkin ’01.
The
topic was “The Diageo Way of Building Global Brands,” and
featured a lively Johnnie Walker tasting, including
such topnotch single malts as Talisker and Cragganmore,
not
to mention the smooth blended classic, Johnnie Walker
Black Label. The witty, kilt-adorned Journey of Taste guided
the
group through the geography of Scotland and the process
of making fine scotch.
Ivan
spoke for 45 minutes about his work after Kellogg (Booz
Allen Hamilton, Whirlpool, Guinness), Diageo’s history
as the world’s largest premium drinks company, the
company vision and its specific approach to brand building.
Diageo places emphasis on portfolio prioritization (managing
global vs. local vs. category management brands), innovation
(new products such as Ciroc Vodka and new product features
such as Guinness draught in a bottle) and treats social responsibility
as integral to every brand and relationship with each consumer.
In addition, Diageo believes in asking consumers what kind
of total experience they are seeking and considers six consumer
motivation occasions (release, affiliation, contentment,
discernment, status and independence). Ivan concluded his
talk with examples of television ad campaigns and information
on the company’s aggressive and ambitious relaunch
of Smirnoff vodka in the competitive space of super-premium
vodkas. Ivan provided terrific insight into a rapidly changing
business and spoke candidly on the challenges ahead for
the adult beverages industry.
We have
events lined up for the next six months and will be communicating
directly to all alums via email and mail.
Please update your contact details on the Kellogg alumni
Web site to receive the mailers. I look forward to seeing
you all at the next club event. |