Strategic relaunch of Gretsch Drums into the European marketplace

The Challenge

Grestch Drums are a percussion instrument brand with a long and rich heritage stretching back to Friedrich Gretsch, a German immigrant who opened the business in New York in 1883.

In 2008 Gretsch was purchased by Fender. The Liquid Way were appointed in 2010 to relaunch the brand into the European market.

On behalf of Fender we conducted a European-wide audit aimed at uncovering the perception of the Gretsch brand and on the sales decision making process of amateur and professional drummers.

Our research found that the brand was perceived by drummers as ‘precious’, almost too precious to touch – a major issue for a drum brand – and that drummers wanted flexibility from their kit – the ability to handle different sounds from the same kit.

The Liquid Way

Our strategy was to represent Gretsch Drums as the ‘real drummers drum kit’. To demonstrate the flexibility of the Great Gretsch Sound ambassadors were selected to promote the brand who regularly played different styles of music in different bands on the same Gretsch kit.

Original photography and video was shot to show the story of real drummers such as Karl Brazil (Robbie Williams, Feeder, James Blunt) ‘telling it how it is’ in practice, recording and performance studio scenarios with their Gretsch kit surrounded by the usual real world mix of mics, wires and tape.

The integrated communications output included display advertising, website and product brochures and collateral.

Liquid Results

Gretsch Drums in Europe outsold US sales for the first time ever.