It began ten years ago and has developed into the giant that it is today. Magnum Tonic Wine is celebrating its achievement and THE STAR is there with them as a sponsor for their 10 Long 10 Strong campaign. Below is a feature on the beginning of the product

Birthing a '10 Long 10 Strong' Giant

It's almost unfathomable that there was once a time when Magnum Tonic Wine wasn't the dominant force it is today.

However, only 10 years ago, selling 30 cases of the product was reason enough for an employee to burst through the doors cheering or just do a good old cartwheel - mentally, of course.

Today, on the cusp of their 10th anniversary celebrations - dubbed the '10 Long 10 Strong' series - it's undeniable that Magnum has become a necessary ingredient when striving to create the perfect blend of entertainment for any setting.

three-letter word

Craving for a brand that would fit all these backdrops was the initial steam which powered the Magnum train. "When we started out we were a small company with a small portfolio of products. We wanted to have a good in-house product with a broad base of consumers and we knew that the three-letter word sells: that's 'sex'. So we then came up with a concept," said -Jimmy Lawrence, past general manager of Lascelles Wines and Spirits.

He continued: "At the time there were a number of products out there, but we wanted ours to also cater to the person's health and personal needs and give energy and vitality and this comes from the Vigorton 2 found in Magnum. This idea was primarily conceptualized by the former Lascelles Merchandise Limited chief executive Paul Thomas, and he contacted Joy Spence, the Master Blender for the Wray and Nephew Group. She came up with the great blend and taste."

The name, 'Magnum', came about after brainstorming for one that was strong and memorable.

mainstream brand

But even after coming up with a name and the logo of two lovers locked in an embrace, it wasn't smooth sailing after that.

Lawrence says it took savvy ideas, potent street marketing, alluring advertisements and more to transform what some considered a downstream brand into the Herculean mainstream brand it is today.

Further speaking on the brand's history and being readily accepted in a number of rural areas, Gary Dixon, category manager at Lascelles Wines and Spirits, in charge of all local brands, said: "Magnum Tonic Wine's focus has always been on our consumers, not only as such, but more so as people; consequently, we took that into consideration when designing the Magnum '10 Long 10 Strong' series of free concerts. Entertainment is one of the most lucrative markets today and more often than not attending a stage show can cost up to $3, 000. That will not be the case with our shows: they are free, free, free!"

"We are going across the island with the best catalogue of dancers, comedians and Dancehall and Reggae artistes and people don't have to pay a dollar. We will be supplying them with Magnum which will give them the 'energy when (they) need it' and trust me they will need it for our line-up. This is our way of saying thank you to our supporters for making us '10 Long 10 Strong' on this successful, energetic and daring journey," said Dixon.