Cancan Wine Marketing Campaign Strategy & Visual Revamp: From South Africa to Mexico
Marketing strategy case study: How UX research, digital marketing & guerrilla marketing helped Cancan wines expand to Mexico. See the complete redesign process & ROI results.
Cancan Wine Marketing Campaign Strategy & Visual Revamp: From South Africa to Mexico
Project Type: Brand Strategy & Digital Marketing
Duration: 6 months (2021-2022)
Role: Marketing Strategist & Visual Designer
Project Overview
When South African entrepreneurs behind Cancan canned wines needed to expand into international markets, they partnered with our university to develop comprehensive market entry strategies. I was tasked with creating a complete marketing strategy and visual identity revamp for their expansion into Mexico.
The Challenge
Cancan faced multiple barriers to Mexican market entry:
- Product-Market Mismatch: Their dry red wine conflicted with Mexican preference for sweet red wines
- Digital Presence Crisis: Website SEO score of only 20/100 with critical UX failures
- Social Media Struggles: Engagement rates below 1% (industry benchmark: 3-5%)
- Limited Budget: Needed cost-effective marketing solutions with measurable ROI
My Approach & Methodology
Research & Analysis Phase
I conducted comprehensive market research using multiple frameworks:
- Consumer Behavior Analysis: Discovered Mexicans prefer wine for family gatherings, with beer for outdoor occasions
- Competitive Landscape Mapping: Identified positioning opportunities against established players
- Digital Audit: Used SEMrush and engagement calculators to assess current performance
- Cultural Adaptation Study: Analyzed local preferences and price sensitivity patterns
Strategic Development
Based on research insights, I developed a multi-pillar marketing strategy:
Brand Positioning: “Cancan = Relaxation Anywhere, Anytime”
Core Message: Accessibility through aluminum cans enables consumption anywhere
Target Emotion: Fun, friendship, colorful experiences, exotic yet affordable
Key Deliverables & Solutions
Campaign Planning
On short, the Launching campaign was divided in 3 main areas based on the timeline:
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Prior to the launch - the period was chosen in such a way (summer to autumn) to overlap with the major festivals and festivities in Mexico, in order to take advantage of them to test and promote the product. On short, the strategy was created as such:
- 3 months prior - setting up the accounts, starting releasing organic social media content to create presence, especially on TikTok and Instagram (most used in Mexico at the time by the target audience)
- 2 months prior - presence with booths and Brand Activations at major music and cultural festivals in Mexico, especially in costal areas where either (1) tourists were present, or (2) middle- to large-income individuals would attend. Paid social media ads would promote the brand’s presence at these events and the Brand Activation’s booths, where engaging activities and promotions would offer the participants the opportunity to test the products. To generate further interest for the brand and for the festival attendees to win prizes, the participants would be encouraged to share on Instagram Stories or in a TikTok video the Cancan brand and the Brand Activation experience and tag the accounts.
- 1 month prior - active and aggressive Social Media campaign, built on 3 pillars: organic, paid, and influencer marketing. The goal: to generate as much virality and eWOM as possible, looking mainly at the Awareness-related metrics and how many people would visit and follow the page. The use of platforms such as Hootsuite would come in handy for Social Listening.
- 2 weeks prior - Guerrilla Marketing tactics would be applied in public spaces such as in public transport, on the street, in malls and on the beaches.
- During the launch - pop-up stores would open in carefully-chosen spots, selling the wine cans at a visibly lower-price, thus making use of the price sensitiveness specific to the Mexican consumers. The product would also be launched with discounts, such as “15% off” or “1+1 free” to generate interest and attract consumers to test the product. It would be available in major retailers present in urban, middle- to higher-income household areas, such as Walmart. Additionally, the product would also be available in rented vending machines placed in highly transited areas in major cities such as Mexico City and Monterrey. They would stand out from the normal street décor by having brand elements, as it will be seen below in the gallery.
- After the launch - assess the effectiveness of the weeks prior to the launch and see which strategies performed best, but maintaining a presence on social media. KPIs would be analyzed and adequate scenario measures would be taken based on them. Based on these results and actions, preparations are made for the winter holidays campaigns.
Website Redesign & UX Improvements
Problems Identified:
- Non-functional ordering system
- Missing call-to-action buttons
- Poor mobile responsiveness
- Extremely low organic traffic
Solutions Implemented:
- Dynamic color-changing homepage based on wine selection
- Prominent ordering CTAs throughout user journey
- Mobile-first responsive design
- Improved information architecture
Results:
The revamp included more in-line with the brand colors, an interface that made the Call-to-action for ordering rightly visible from the first second on the website, alongside a dynamic home page color pallete change when the user clicked to see the other wine types. These can be seen below.
The website’s content, while it lacked in valuable content for the visitors, and SEO on-page optimization, was mostly kept as proof-of-concept as to how the platform might look like.Overall, the Home Page’s structure was kept relatively intact. A full view can be seen below. Additional pages were also created as proof of concepts, such as the product presentation page.
Visual Identity Revamp
Created comprehensive mood boards analyzing successful Mexican wine brands and direct competitors like Besa (US canned wine targeting Latino markets). Developed new visual language emphasizing:
- Vibrant, culturally-relevant color palettes
- Lifestyle imagery showing social gatherings
- Clean, modern typography
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Consistent brand application across touchpoints
Guerrilla Marketing Campaign Strategy
Designed budget-conscious, high-impact marketing tactics:
Ambient Marketing:
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Bus handle wraps featuring CanCan cans
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Subway stair graphics with brand messaging
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Pop-up shop concepts for high-traffic areas
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Cancan branded vending machines
Revenue-Positive Tactics:
- Thematic vending machine placements
- Strategic partnerships with local events
- Influencer collaborations focused on lifestyle content
ROI Projection: Even with 15% product discounts, guerrilla tactics would cover their own costs plus 40% of digital marketing expenses.
Tools & Technologies Used
Design & Prototyping:
- Adobe Photoshop (visual assets)
- Adobe XD (website wireframes & prototypes)
- Adobe Dimensions (3D mockups)
Analytics & Research:
- SEMrush (SEO audit)
- Excel (competitor analysis, budget modeling)
- Statista (market research)
- Social media engagement calculators
Project Management:
- Gantt charts for timeline management
- KPI tracking systems with scenario modeling
- Performance bonus calculators tied to metrics
Results & Impact
Academic Recognition
- Marketing Strategy Grade: 9.9/10 (highest in year)
- Controls Implementation & Scenario Projections: 10/10 (perfect score)
- Organization & KPIs: 10/10 (perfect score)
- Overall Project: Best grades from evaluation commission including brand executives
Strategic Recommendations Accepted
The executives acknowledged the digital marketing audit findings and adopted (some) of the key recommendations:
- Product Development: Add sweeter red wine variant for Mexican market
- Digital Overhaul: Complete website and social media strategy revision
- Market Entry Decision: Implement localization before launch or postpone expansion altogether for the Mexican market
Professional Growth
- Self-taught advanced Adobe Creative Suite skills
- Developed expertise in international market entry strategies
- Learned digital marketing campaign creation for market penetration
- Gained experience presenting strategic recommendations to C-level executives
Key Learnings & Reflections
Strategic Insights
This project reinforced the importance of cultural adaptation in international marketing. The discovery that Cancan’s core product (dry red wine) was fundamentally misaligned with Mexican preferences could have saved significant expansion costs.
Design Philosophy
Creating visuals that support strategic messaging proved crucial for stakeholder buy-in. The mood boards and competitor analysis provided clear direction for brand evolution while respecting local market preferences.
Presentation Strategy
Taking an honest, data-driven approach to recommendations—even suggesting postponing expansion—demonstrated strategic thinking over people-pleasing. This authenticity elevated both grades and client respect.
Technical Skills Demonstrated
- Market Research & Analysis
- Brand Strategy Development
- UX/UI Design Principles
- Digital Marketing Strategy
- Campaign Planning
- Visual Identity Design
- Controls & Scenario Adjustments
- Project Management
- Stakeholder Presentation
- Cultural Adaptation Strategy
This project showcases end-to-end strategic thinking from market research through visual execution, demonstrating both analytical rigor and creative problem-solving in international brand expansion.
Want to discuss how these skills could benefit your next project? Contact me to explore collaboration opportunities.