Controlling Manager

Shortly after Curt Mast had taken over his father's vinegar factory at the age of 16, the First World War caused hard economic times. To survive, the company had to reinvent itself. It was decided to have a second mainstay and specialized in importing French wines. Curt Mast also experimented constantly with the production of liqueurs. But it was only after celebrating his 37th birthday in 1934 that the characterful herbal liqueur was ready for the market and was called "Jägermeister" in honor of its creator's passion. An incomparable brand history began. In the 1960s, the company had to reposition itself due to declining sales figures. The image was suffering: Jägermeister was perceived too much as a drink for older people. Therefore, two decisive courses were set at the beginning of the 1970s: Firstly, expansion into international markets was driven forward - with the long-term consequence that today people in more than 80 countries around the world enjoy Jägermeister. Secondly, real pioneering work began in the field of sports marketing. In 1973, the company landed the masterstroke of putting its company logo on the jerseys of Eintracht Braunschweig, cleverly circumventing the advertising rules of the DFB (German Football Association) in effect at the time. This was the foundation stone for jersey advertising in the 1st Bundesliga in 1973. Jägermeister was also present for years in motor sports, in Formula 1, in the German Touring Car Championships and various rally competitions. As the realization matured in the 1990s that sport and alcohol were becoming less compatible for marketing, the decision was made early on to exit sports sponsorship. Business was stagnating at the time, the target group of regular users over the age of 50 was becoming steadily smaller and smaller. Once again, a promising plan for the future of the brand had to be found, combined with a clear vision of a sustainable re-orientation. At the beginning of the 2000s, the brand reinvented itself under the motto "Attention: WILD!", set its sights on the target group of "young hedonists" and scored a major marketing hit. Cool presentation, self-deprecating messages and social commitment hit right at the heart of a newly defined audience. The brand's existing connection to music was an important factor. What began as sponsoring festivals and promoting young rock and metal bands in the USA in the 1990s soon developed into Jägermeister's own music tour. Nowadays, Jägermeister is at home in almost all different facets of young music and it is impossible to imagine this world without it. Once again, the relaunch succeeded in combination with a clear makeover of the brand and its perception. The fact that Jägermeister has achieved a cult status shows how well this strategy has worked. Parallel to its orientation towards young customers, the company has also expanded its sense of internal and external responsibility. While a respectful approach to each other and responsibility towards society and the environment have always been part of the family-owned company's DNA, it has been striving for concrete sustainability goals for some time now, which are implemented in the three fields of action Celebrate, Produce and Work - among other things through a high level of commitment to responsible production and merchandising. The last of these also includes a strict, self-imposed marketing code as a central core for the consistent protection of under-aged people.