Imperial Tobacco The Imperialist 1 Engl | Page 19

#Results DAVIDOFF SHAPE KAZAKHSTAN Danil Yavlovsky, Sales and Marketing Support Manager CA: “All the initiatives of our Cluster in the financial year 2017 were aimed at achieving the global goal that Imperial Brands has set for itself – increasing its market share. Each of us made a contribution of his own on a daily basis and is continuing to do so to bring our common goal within reach and make it achievable. Extending distribution, enhancing product visibility, developing new sales support programs – whatever we do, we do it to be Serious About Sales. In our efforts we are assisted by a dedicated tool – a Market Repeatable Model. One of its blocks is Always On Price Strategy. A sustainable pricing strategy helps markets to position its brands correctly against competitors’ brands and thereby increase sales volumes and therefore the company’s market share.” DAVIDOFF QS KAZAKHSTAN 0,34% 0,55% 0,34% Nielsen MS 10.2015 10.2016 9.2017 WE TRIPLED OUR SALES OF DAVIDOFF SHAPE FROM 3 MLN STICKS A MONTH TO 9-10 MLN STICKS A MONTH AND NEARLY DOUBLED OUR MARKET SHARE AS A RESULT Kazakhstan is one of the few world markets where a minimal retail price for a pack of cigarettes is regulated at state level. In such difficult conditions we have to pursue a competent pricing strategy that meets the demands of our consumers and is in alignment with brand strategy and at the same time to secure sales growth for our brands. The financial year 2017 turned out to be very eventful for the Kazakhstan market where two minimal retail prices were set and the price of 70% of tobacco products stopped at 300 tenge per pack. In the meantime one of our main competitors was consistently squeezing the price ladder and set the price of his premium brand at 400 tenge per pack. Thus the difference in the price of the most expensive and the cheapest product hit the lowest level on record. Faced with this situation we had to review our pricing strategy for Davidoff products, in particular for the Black & White, and set the price at 310 tenge per pack. As 35% of the Kazakhstan market is taken by the QS format, our team focused its efforts on Davidoff Shape (QS). We took steps to enhance communication with retailers highlighting the advantages of selling the product at a new reduced price. The Kazakhstan team quickly set about creating a distribution network and the results did not take long in coming. Literally in a matter of a few months since the start of 2017 we tripled our sales of Davidoff Shape from 3 mln sticks a month to 9-10 mln sticks a month and nearly doubled our market share as a result. Bakhtir Aliev, Regional Manager, South Region: "Retail outlets reviewed their perception of our product. I have to say that for some of them Davidoff Shape was a revelation as they had previously hardly taken any notice of it and are now buying it all the time as it is in demand." Vugar Mamedov, Merchendiser, the city of Almaty: “I have always believed in Davidoff Shape, I smoke it myself, that is why I recommend it to everyone. It is currently one of my favourite products. The results that we have achieved can be clearly seen from the fact that in my business area Davidoff Shape is available everywhere and currently the most important task that each of us has to deal with is to maintain the required stocks at the retail outlets so that the consumer can always find his product.” The Империалист |  | 19