Tiger takes premium position with Alba ad

The centrepiece of the campaign is a TVC featuring Hollywood star Jessica Alba. APB Singapore Alan Gourdie said that part of the strategy for repositioning Tiger as a premium brand was reinventing it, necessitating a facelift. Agencies Design Bridge, London and One Center in Sydney collaborated on the new logo and packaging for Tiger. BBDO Singapore developed the commercial, which represents the largest investment Tiger has ever made in a television campaign, S$2.4 million (US$1.5 million). The total overall campaign spend was $5 million. "The trick was to balance evolution versus continuity," said Gourdie. "We wanted a fresh look, but one had to be able to recognise the brand underneath. In the history of Tiger, the logo has only changed three or four times, so it's clearly not something you want to play around with very much." The new logo features the signature Tiger icon striding out of its circular frame. The colour scheme is the same, though more vibrant, and the words 'World Acclaimed Beer' are prominently displayed. The updated packaging will appear in Singapore and then roll out in other markets in 2006, with the changeover expected to be completed globally within a year. The brand's makeover also includes a new 'World Acclaimed' advertising campaign, which uses print, outdoor, online and POS to communicate the quality of the beer. The TVC took approximately eight months to complete, with a 120-man crew and a cast of 160 extras on the set in Auckland, New Zealand. Tiger's slogan, 'It's Tiger Time', has been updated to the more succinct, 'It's Time'. The words are used prominently in the spot, which centres around four male friends who use the sound of a Tiger beer amplified on a PA system to lure journalists away from a press conference with Alba, so that one of the men can meet her. "We didn't set out to make a Hollywood commercial," said Gourdie in an interview. "The brief was to make an ad called 'friendship' and this is the story that came back." Alba was chosen because she is well known and delivers impact. "She has a status that Singaporeans would expect to see associated with Tiger," said Gourdie. After releasing four major movies this year, Alba's price has gone up, and APB is negotiating with the star for the rights to air the TVC in other Asian markets. Currently, the spot airs only in Singapore.