An international program to manage and market spirits brands

The MBA Spirits Marketing and Management welcomes students from diverse backgrounds (university or management school graduates), as well as professionals from the spirit industry. This one-year program has a strong international orientation.

It provides students a specialization in the Spirits Industry, gaining insight through courses on brand strategy, mergers and acquisitions, development of foreign markets, consumer behavior, media, and public relations in order to meet the industry’s need for skilled management.

THIS CAREER-BOOSTING PROGRAM TAKES PLACE AT INSEEC WINE & SPIRITS INSTITUTE BORDEAUX FROM OCTOBER TO JANUARY, AND AT INSEEC LONDON FROM FEBRUARY TO MARCH.

London was chosen as a location because of the local depth and expertise in the spirits industry that offering a unique pool of experts available as lecturers. Renowned professionals working for the largest international spirits groups will share their experience and teach best practices. Various course topics and projects will also give students the opportunity to improve their English language skills in the classroom and in the vibrant city of London.

Sign up
JEAN-NOEL-DOLLET-INSEEC

Dr Jean-Noël DOLLET
Program Director

The INSEEC MBA Spirits programme is targeted at students wishing to develop their theoretical and practical skills in the spirits sector.

France is the most recognized country in the world for high quality “eaux-de-vie”/brandy production. Bordeaux has always been an important place in the world for wine & spirit commercialization. Bordeaux is situated between two key areas for spirits in France – Firstly, Gascony, one of the oldest spirit regions in France with more than 700 years experience producing Armagnac and, secondly, Cognac globally reputed for its spirit of the same name without forgetting its dynamic premium spirit production of vodkas, gins or even vermouth. This latter region is now called Spirit Valley.

Further, France is the world leader in the luxury sector with groups such as LVMH, Kering, Chanel, Hermès… for this reason France is a global leader in creative and innovative design agencies and suppliers.

On top of all the above assets INSEEC itself has access to the top professionals and professors in this industry. INSEEC created the MBA Spirits programme four years ago to give the opportunity to students desiring to enter this dynamic sector and, in doing so, the practical and multi-cultural aspects are reflected in its programme.

Courses

WORKSHOPS

  • Personal Development
  • Professional Workshops: Production and Techniques, Spirits Techniques

WEB 2 DIGITAL TOOLS

From online shopping to the latest developments in social networking, a review of spirit e-strategies.
This course evaluates evolving marketing techniques and promotional technologies, and finds ways to integrate them into an effective communication strategy at the product launch stage for an established brand. It also looks at the emergence of the on line store.

MANAGEMENT IN THE SPIRITS INDUSTRY

Topics include:

  • Integrating a strategic approach to long term development, formulating a global company diagnostic and assessing capacity for change in a fast moving environment

  • Making a global diagnosis of a firm and its environment while taking into consideration its capacity to adapt to changes

  • Analyzing and understanding structural problems linked to establishing a strategic plan

  • Pinpointing the identity of an organization and analyzing the components of the company culture.

MARKETING STUDIES AND RESEARCH

This course prepares students to understand different types of studies: surveys, qualitative studies, explanatory, predicative and causal studies, descriptive studies.

MERCHANDISING

  • Evaluating different types of merchandising

  • Consumer behavior as the keystone of merchandising

  • Quantitative analysis of a line: optimization, value, reasons to set up, product range

DIRECT MARKETING & SALES PROMOTION

  • Formulating a direct communication strategy

  • Understanding different types of media

  • Stimulating product demand and improving product availability

MEDIA PRESS RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATION

Topics include:

  • Sources of information

  • Defining the various roles played by the key players in international advertising (advertisers, agencies, media, consumer lobbies)

  • Developing awareness of the global trends affecting the advertising of today and tomorrow

  • Various socio-cultural and management factors

FINANCIAL AND ECONOMY IN THE SPIRIT INDUSTRY

  • Choices regarding investment and financial means

  • Financial analysis and financial information – to know the users, the sources of information

  • Mastering the tools of financial analysis

  • Financing the assets, the production tools and the marketing development

  • COGS, overheads and marketing – aiming at optimizing the gross and the net margins

BRAND MARKETING AND STRATEGY

Assessing the feasibility of a new product. New product development and the launch process.

LAW, REGULATIONS AND POLICIES

This course introduces:

  • Legislation inside and outside of Europe, rules governing the sale and presentation of products

  • The naming of wines

  • The brand, its labelling and its promotion

  • Administrative constraints

  • Product licensing, contracts and control of brand image

  • Protection of intellectual property

  • Combating counterfeit and parallel imports

  • International regulatory and tax environment

  • Communication compliance

DISTRIBUTION POLICY

This course evaluates the different trends (economic, cultural or legal) affecting distribution:

  • Chainstore brands, and the new channels of distribution (internet)

  • Strategies for distribution – from independent agents to fully owned stores (how to control distribution, how to capture the distributions margins)

  • How to work in free trade or controlled distribution

  • The current situation in the leading markets and consequences on distribution

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

This course investigates the dynamics of human behavior and how it relates to decision-making. It helps gain understanding of consumer trends in order to better define target markets.
It will explore attitudes: from sipping alone to social drinking, from medical benefits to adverse effects, from taste enjoyment to purposeful drinking. The bright and the dark sides of the spirits industry will also be explored.
Other topics:

  • Social status and consumption of spirits

  • The versatility of spirits (straight, mixed, pairing with food)

  • Offering by leading brands in each category and the renewal of the offering

INTERNATIONAL MARKETING AND BRAND MANAGEMENT IN THE SPIRIT INDUSTRY

Topics include:

  • Managing creativity and innovation

  • Insights into existing and emerging markets

  • International brand positioning and competitive analysis

  • Market entry strategies, brand development and international pricing strategies

  • Consolidating and evaluating brand strategy

  • Guiding the relationship between brands and consumers

  • Brand building strategy

  • Mergers and acquisitions in the spirits industry

CRM

This course looks at how to conquer the local store and bar (street marketing), as well as how to conquer national retailers – offerings and negotiations. Using technology to organize, automate and synchronize business processes.

NEW PRODUCTS LAUNCHES

  • Assessing the feasibility of a new product

  • Analyse of new product development and the launch process

  • Identification of the opportunities

  • Sequencing and planning launches

  • Financial and P&L aspects

  • Production and launches

PACKAGING DESIGN

Topics include:

  • Brand strategy

  • Visual identity

  • Design and packaging

  • Industrial design

  • Sales and marketing architecture

INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATION

The purpose of this course is to master different negotiating techniques according to the cultural context, and learn to negotiate with a win-win approach.
The course introduces students to the different negotiation techniques with an eye to the cultural context (Europe, USA, North Africa, Asia and Latin America). Participants learn how to use a win/win approach and appreciate the importance of gaining a sound knowledge of the profile of buyers. The course also stresses the importance of learning and analyzing the key points needed to succeed in negotiation.

Calendar

FALL INTAKE

Courses in Bordeaux

October to january:
3 class days / 2 company days

Courses in London

January to march
3 class days / 2 company days

Full-time internship : 6 months

April to september

Thesis

September

SPRING INTAKE

Courses in Bordeaux

In march :
3 class days

Full-time internship : 5 months

April to august

Thesis

In september

Courses in Bordeaux

October to january
3 class days / 2 company days

Courses in London:

January to march
3 class days / 2 company days

Career opportunities after the MBA Spirits Marketing & Management

PROFESSIONAL INTEGRATION

This MBA trains students to work in multiple functions within sales, export, marketing, purchasing or communication departments… It offers the opportunity to:

Spirits Consultant

Brand Ambassador

Business Manager

Export Area Manager

Liquor and Spirits Sales Representative

Group Leader

Spirits Brand Manager