Alexandra is responsible for the visibility of Chopin products and the development of its brand identity. This is done through public events, creative projects and product development.
What responsibilities does the position of Brand Manager include?
I am responsible for the image of the brand. I also work in other areas of the company, such as developing new products and following up with our sales team.
What do you see as the priorities for the Chopin brand?
I think that the priority is getting our story out there more effectively and reaching more people. We’re still a very small brand, and the vodka category is very crowded, but I think that there are many things about our brand that many people would find appealing. And, not enough people know yet what makes us different from other vodka brands.
So, how do you realize those priorities through the look and the feel of the brand?
It can be a struggle because we’re known as a luxury brand and people think that we’re corporate, as a result. We’re a completely family-owned business, so our family is very involved in the production. We try to show that we are involved from beginning to end.
How is Chopin different from other premium luxury vodkas?
In so many ways! We were the first luxury vodka in the world – as a result of the vision of our Master Distiller, Waldemar Durakiewicz. We are family-owned; most vodka companies are owned by large corporations. We are distillers, which is very rare in this category. So many people don’t know about the vodka category, which I think is interesting. Vodka is one of the largest spirits categories in the world, and most people don’t know that most vodkas aren’t made by the brands themselves. So making our vodka is something that we’re very proud of. We have a very close relationship with the farmers that work with us. We’re very close to the ingredients that we use to make our vodka; we always use the freshest, best quality ingredients in our vodka. However, I think that the main difference is that our philosophy is very different from other vodka companies. We’re not about making our company as big as possible. We think that the flavor of our vodka is important and that it’s important to show people that not all vodkas are the same.
What kind of relationship do you need to have with the people who drink vodka to show them how Chopin Vodka is different?
Our customers are very loyal. We meet people all the time that tell us that Chopin is their favorite vodka. Very often, a friend of theirs told them that it was good, they tried it, and they agreed. So the good news is that once people find us then they are loyal to our vodka. So the challenge is to widen the base of our clientele and finding more people who appreciate what it is that we do. We meet a lot of people, and we try to do as many ‘in-person’ meetings that we can. Being a family company means that it’s very important to get out there and meet people ourselves.
What do you think people need to know about Chopin Vodka that they don’t already know?
I think that people don’t know our story yet, but I think that the main vision is to change the perception of vodka. It’s not only about our company, but teaching people to appreciate vodka in the same way that they might a fine whisky or wine. People need to know that we offer very different vodka – while other vodka producers are only talking about volume, cocktails and the number of distillations so that you can’t even taste it. I think that all the trends are moving towards appreciation, sipping and drinking less, but enjoying what you’re drinking more. And that’s the main thing that I think people should know about us is that we offer that.
