Appleton takes on social media

Appleton Jamaica Rum has launched accounts on social-networking websites Facebook and Twitter, as the brand kicks its summer activities into high gear.

Appleton, which has been in production since 1749, is leading its social-media push with its most popular product - Appleton Special Jamaica Rum.

"We were waiting for the right time to become a part of this community and we're making sure that we had the right team in place," said Appleton's brand manager, David Walton.

Walton said during the summer Appleton would be aggressively seeking to capture the attention of social-media users with innovative activities and prizes for Appleton followers.

"One thing is certain, Appleton is not looking to become null or inactive on social media. We are looking to engage our consumers, find out what more they want from Appleton, understand how they consume Appleton and give them a chance to interact with a truly energetic brand," Walton said.

It is estimated that 700,000 Jamaicans use social media, with more than 600,000 of that being on Facebook.

Of course, Walton and his team took this into consideration before deciding to become 'social'.

"These websites, Facebook and Twitter, have massive populations and a great deal of their members fall right into our target market. Trust me, Jamaica's summer just got better with Appleton," he added.

While not giving too many details about the campaign, Walton did say Appleton would reward its fans and followers with giveaways including event tickets, bar tabs, gift baskets and more interactive prizes.