Old Monk: The Resurrection of a Heritage Brand

Abstract

This case is developed to discuss options related to strategy in general and marketing strategy in particular that were implemented by an iconic brand—Old Monk—in the compelling attempt to revive the its brand value and relevance. The protagonist in the case is Mr Hemanth Mohan, the Director of this brand who is faced with serious challenges in resurrecting the brand in a hypercompetitive, ever-changing lifestyle alcoholic beverages market in India. The most significant of the challenges faced by Mr Mohan are changing tastes and preferences of the consumer, new foreign brands entering into the market, strong regulation, close monitoring from the government, and the monopoly of state-managed liquor retail chains. This case addresses and provides for the evaluation of various strategic options available for the brand in terms of repositioning itself in the relevant markets. The case presents questions related to how effectively a traditional brand can carry forward the legacy to redeem its brand value in the light of changing tastes and customer preferences. The case proposes to bring to light the importance of strategic decisions to be made around managing brand extensions in addressing the dilemma of brand value being spread too thin versus capitalizing on the past glory of the brand in finding life for the newly launched products under the known umbrella. This case is developed with an intent to be discussed among students pursuing undergraduate and/or graduate education in management discipline. The case is well aligned to be relevant for discussing concepts related to brand management, marketing strategy, strategic management, and consumer behavior. The content of this case is designed to be discussed and delivered in a typical 90-min class session, allowing students 120 min of pre-reading time and 120 min of post-discussion report preparation.