KWV Brandy

KWV Brandy’s 100th anniversary in 2018 was the catalyst for a bold rebranding initiative — and Feed That Bird was at the heart of it. The brand sought to project a younger, more dynamic image and strengthen relationships with the industry gatekeepers who matter most: bartenders, chefs, and sommeliers in South Africa’s top bars and restaurants.

Feed That Bird developed #KWVBrandyReimagined, a four-month campaign featuring South Africa’s leading bartenders, chefs, and sommeliers across a series of events in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Paarl. The campaign positioned KWV Brandy not as a traditional spirit for traditionalists, but as a creative canvas for the country’s most innovative drinks and food talent.

Events were staged in three locations, building to a finale in Paarl, with the Sunday Times and sister publications as media partners providing national print and digital coverage throughout. The campaign activated strong organic influencer engagement, with participants sharing content across their own platforms in addition to the structured media coverage.

The results were exceptional: PR value exceeded five times the initial investment, with a multi-million rand return on investment. More meaningfully, bartenders reported genuinely changed perceptions of the brand, and sommeliers committed to featuring KWV Brandy at their establishments — translating campaign success into long-term commercial impact.