No confusion on gin packaging — AC Nielsen study

AC Nielsen Philippines, one of the world’s leading companies in the field of market research, information and analysis, declared that the packaging of local gin products does not cause confusion in the market and that Filipino drinkers can distinguish one brand of gin from another.

In a mock shop study, the internationally-acclaimed research outfit confirmed that eight out of 10 Filipino gin drinkers surveyed can identify gin brands from a distance of four to five feet whether the bottles are facing backward or forward.

"Consumers can tell the different between the different gin brands based on their packaging. They rely not only on the label, but also on other details or cues such as the kind and color of the bottle cap. This is particularly true for Ginebra San Miguel which was distinctly described as having a black bottle cap, in contrast to Ginebra Kapitan’s blue cap," AC Nielsen stressed.

The findings of the AC Nielsen study debunks earlier findings made by Trends MBL, a local research outfit commissioned by Ginebra San Miguel Inc. (GSMI), which showed alleged market confusion among local gin drinkers owing to what it called "confusing similar" packaging of Ginebra San Miguel and its rival Ginebra Kapitan.

Lawyers for Ginebra Kapitan welcomed the results of AC Nielsen’s study. They said that the "mock shop" method used by the research firm closely resembled the real buying situation which was quite the opposite of the survey done by Trends MBL.

"Trends MBL asked half of its respondents to guess the brands of gin while being shown the back of the gin bottle, which is a far cry from the real buying situation. In retail outlets, particularly sari-sari stores, gin bottles are displayed facing forward and not the other way around," the lawyers said.

In AC Nielsen’s mock shop study of gin products, pre-qualified respondents (aged 18 to 55 years old, from class D-E households who are past four-week drinkers of gin and not first-time gin drinkers) were shown a mock up display of various gin brands from a distance of about four to five feet. Totalling 300 (100 from Metro Manila, 100 from Northern Luzon and 100 from Southern Luzon) the respondents were asked to identify various brands under two situations – with the labels facing and not facing them. As a final check, AC Nielsen actually asked the respondents to handle the products as in the real buying situation.

"The common practice when buying from sari-sari stores is to ask one’s desired brand from the store owner rather than personally getting it from the shelves which further minimizes the risk of making a mistake in brand identification or confusion. Hence, the contention of GSMI that there may be confusion in the market arising from the launch of Ginebra Kapitan does not seem to hold water," AC Nielsen concluded.

It will be recalled that Tanduay Distillers Inc., the maker of Ginebra Kapitan, filed a P112-million countersuit against GSMI after the latter filed trademark infringement charges against Tanduay for coming out with Ginebra Kapitan.

While GSMI succeeded in getting an injunction from the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court to prevent Tanduay from producing and selling Ginebra Kapitan, the Court of Appeals issued a 60-day restraining order which barred the lower court from enforcing its order.