Flipping the Flaw: Regaining Market Leadership for a Legacy Brand

A legacy liquor brand was losing ground to newer competition and carried a dated perception—seen as too strong and old-school for younger drinkers. The team needed to reclaim relevance and reshape how consumers saw the brand.

Acumen partnered with the client to strengthen its customer value proposition through:

• A deep customer understanding process to surface real attitudes and emotions
• An insight that reframed “strong” not as a flaw—but as a flex: tapang
• Collaboration with the client and creative agency to bring this insight to life in a campaign that resonated across all key touchpoints

The brand’s turnaround was dramatic. It regained revenue and share, and ultimately rose to become the #1 rhum in the world. By leaning into authentic customer insight, the team reframed perception and built a bold, emotionally resonant proposition that unlocked lasting relevance and dominance.