A lunch of fresh oysters and Tabasco aboard an oyster-catching vessel in Knysna led to an original and eye-catching new marketing concept for the world's original Hot Pepper Sauce. In an attempt to emphasise the well-established link between Tabasco and oysters, Tabasco has chosen to adorn a number of popular coastal seafood restaurants with a giant replica of the authentic Tabasco bottle.
Comments Patleys Marketing Director, Priscilla Wessels: “On a recent visit to South Africa, the Tabasco team from the US was afforded the rare experience of enjoying fresh oysters aboard an oyster-catching vessel in Knysna. With business prospects for Tabasco obviously our focus at this occasion, it was here that we decided to centre our efforts upon branding opportunities at restaurant level. Graffiti then came up with the unique, larger-than-life Tabasco bottle concept.”
The giant, fibreglass, replica Tabasco bottles are 44 times the size of the original hot sauce bottle and can currently be spotted atop the entrance to one of Knysna's best-loved seafood eateries, the Knysna Oyster Company, as well as at the Oyster Catcher restaurant in Port Elizabeth. To complement this bold branding idea, the Tabasco branding has been further extended into the restaurant to also include the umbrellas and waiters' uniforms.
Graffiti Managing Director John Rice explains the decision to create a giant Tabasco bottle: “The link between Tabasco and oysters is already well-entrenched and with Knysna being the location for the Oyster Festival it became one of a few prime locations in which to create a specific Tabasco brand experience. The oversize Tabasco bottle was one way of ensuring that everyone notices the brand, but it was also a novel and fun means of highlighting the connection between the brand and oysters in particular.”
The coastal restaurant campaign will run for the next twelve months when Tabasco aims to further extend it with various other marketing opportunities going into the future.
Ends Wessels, “We've had such an amazing response from customers - everyone is talking about the giant bottles. As a result, other restaurants in the area have contacted us to say they also want a Tabasco bottle! The feedback has even gone as far as Tabasco America where they have received emails from people who have seen the bottles here. We take that as proof of a successful campaign!”
For further information regarding out-of-home branding opportunities contact Natalie Cloete at Graffiti on 011 691 8400 or 083 443 9738 and .
Comments Patleys Marketing Director, Priscilla Wessels: “On a recent visit to South Africa, the Tabasco team from the US was afforded the rare experience of enjoying fresh oysters aboard an oyster-catching vessel in Knysna. With business prospects for Tabasco obviously our focus at this occasion, it was here that we decided to centre our efforts upon branding opportunities at restaurant level. Graffiti then came up with the unique, larger-than-life Tabasco bottle concept.” 
