Entertainment goes MOBILE

THE AIM of any good marketing strategy is to captivate the audience and leave it longing for more. This concept requires the constant reinvention of a brand and a good understanding of what the people want.

Marketing itself is an intricate concoction of social science and imagination. The head of sales at Red Stripe, Moses Williams, explained that as the manufacturer of fast-moving consumer goods with several well-established internationally known brands, the company has had to create new initiatives that appeal to its customers. One such initiative was the mobile stage, which has revolutionised the portrayal of brands and added another level to strategic marketing.

“We were seeking inexpensive ways to get to our consumers in an effective and fun way,” said Williams.

In 2015, Red Stripe developed a concept that would allow them to transport their brand across the island in a cost-effective way that was not only creative, but gave that ‘wow factor’ which they were craving.

“We wanted something that was self-contained and could travel in order to host a large event that can capture the excitement and the feel that we would want for our consumers,” said Williams.

Red Stripe partnered with Supreme Audio and Electronics to produce the first mobile stage in the Caribbean. “They had the right idea and were very forward- thinking. We have worked with them in the past and are always pleased with the type of work they produce. They are the leading sound system, installation- and concept development company in the Caribbean,” said Williams.

Red Stripe came up with a concept and left the rest to Stuart Duquesnay and his team at Supreme Audio and Electronics. “We wanted displays, along with audio, that could host a medium to large event and was mobile. Mr Duquesnay came up with a concept and created a masterpiece. We are very impressed with his creativity, innovativeness, professionalism, and most importantly, his level of detail,” said Williams.

LIKE ‘TRANSFORMERS’

Just like in the movie

Transformers, this 40-foot container converts into a nine feet six inches high by eight feet wide and 40 feet long stage with several screens, along with its own generator. This transformation takes place with the aid of hydraulics. “We like the quality of the sound and the image it projects. It was well received at its launch at Heineken Rio, and a lot of people thought it was a regularly set up stage.”

The mobile stage took eight months to make. Red Stripe took part in the creation of the concept. Every other aspect of the mobile stage was left to the audio company. “We give all the credit to Mr Duquesnay. We told him what we wanted, and he overdelivered,” said Williams.

The main challenge with creating the mobile stage was creating the concept from scratch. “There was no blueprint for Mr Duquesnay. He had to figure out how to put so much into one compact unit and allow them to move,” said Williams.

The set-up time for the stage is approximately one hour due to the installation of the hydraulics.

“What you are going to see is something that is new, self-contained, and what you won’t believe is that this is all coming from a 40foot container,” said Williams.

Persons will be able to get the same level of quality and entertainment that Red Stripe is known to bring with its worldleading brands such as Heineken and Smirnoff.

“Expect good-quality sound produced by us with the same vibe the consumers are used to,” said Williams.

The mobile not only looks and sounds good, but it is also durable. The stage comes with waterproof screens and has functionality in rain. “There is nothing different about it that you would not get from a sound system anywhere else,” said Williams.

The stage will be present at the Smirnoff Tropical Village in Negril throughout the month of August.