Future Leaders with Paul Menzies

Having worked with C&C group in the past, I knew this session with Paul, Stuart and Hazel from the Tennent’s team would be an incredible insight and opportunity for Future Leaders, and it certainly delivered.

The event kicked off with a walk through the Tennent’s visitor centre and the Wellpark Brewery. Being able to see the inner workings of a brewery of this scale, the craft behind products and the history of the brand acted as the perfect set up for the talk: ​‘Refreshing a fabric brand Raised in Scotland’.

Before we kicked off, Paul, Stuart and Hazel spoke through their own career paths and what led them to working with a “brand bigger than most” at Tennent’s. It was very insightful to hear the different paths that they’ve followed, covering everything from in-house and agencies, to cocktail bars and working with major supermarkets. With a diverse group of attendees, it was inspiring to hear how they have navigated their careers so far.

Working as part of a huge brand like Tennent’s, something that has been a part of your life and holds a lasting legacy in Scotland, the team offered some key learnings from their work over the last 18 months in repositioning that legacy.

1. Don’t be afraid of the past

Throughout our tour, the guide spoke about some key words in the life of Tennent’s: Heritage, Legacy and Family. These key words dating back hundreds of years were brought around in insights in the modern day.

The past can often be what makes your brand unique. Brands can try new things, launch new products and new campaigns but they can’t create heritage and intrinsic links to society. Those factors should be leaned on, as they can often be your biggest strength as a brand.

2. Pause

Paul talked us through some of the challenges Tennent’s has faced in recent years around inconsistency and perception, but also the opportunities available in terms of the relevance of the brand to their audience, and the close links across different aspects of Scottish life.

The importance of pressing pause and taking the time to look at what is and isn’t working is important for any business, but particularly for older, more established brands as this can be key to future-proofing.

3. Use what people feel as your brief

Talking to consumers and allowing their feelings and thoughts on your brand to form your brief and establish your brand manifestos. You need to ask yourself, are you giving value to the people who make you what you are?

This was illustrated as Stuart spoke through Tennent’s ‘Raised in Scotland’ platform, a headline that touched, and spoke to, people across Scotland, including raising standards in sustainability, raising spirits in sport and raising roofs with music.

4. Capitalise on Culture

Cultural opportunities are there for brands to use, and tap into the positive feeling that their audience has.

Tennent’s is intrinsically linked to sport and culture in Scotland, and moments like the Rugby World Cup and the Euros have allowed the brand to be ever-present alongside these events in front of a Scottish audience.

With an overall objective of relevance and positioning for long-term success, Hazel spoke us through some of the results the brand has seen over the last few months in terms of awareness, modernisation and brand health, and it is amazing to see the results that come from looking in, being honest with yourself, listening to your audience, clear planning and great creative execution. We were also lucky enough to get a sneak peak at what is coming next for Tennent’s!

The knowledge and creativity from the Tennent’s team was clear to see, and it is inspiring to see what you can achieve with a passionate team behind a strong brand. While some brands are afraid of locality and history, this session proved what you can achieve by leaning on the things that make you unique.

Event review by Gavin McGonigle, Senior Account Manager at We Are Hydrogen

Published 6 May 2024