Battle of the Beats DJ’s Competition Launched by Smirnoff

Kenyan DJs are set to battle head-on in a new and exciting pop-culture competition dubbed ‘the Smirnoff Battle of the Beats’ that is being sponsored by the Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL).

The 12-week competition will see up and coming DJ prospects from across the country meet and battle it out on the decks each week to find the next big Kenyan entertainer.

The competition feeds into the larger Smirnoff Mix Experience, an ongoing cross-country sensitization campaign to educating consumers on their perfect cocktails’ options including the Smirnoff cocktail jug serve

KBL Managing Director, Mrs. Jane Karuku, said that the exciting new prospect was in line with the company’s commitment to continually engage with their consumers at their specific touch-points as they continue to provide consumer-led options for the evolving consumers.

 “We are extremely proud to introduce the Smirnoff Battle of the Beats competition to Kenyans. The exciting new proposition leverages on the creative talent of Kenyan millennials and a booming entertainment industry. The competition is part of our broader agenda to create consumer-led campaigns that address changing tastes and preference across a diverse category of consumers in the Kenyan market,” said Mrs. Karuku.

Karuku added that they were confident that the Kenyan entertainment scene will benefit massively from such talent-based initiatives that present options for Kenyans to maximize their talents and preferences through the vibrant Smirnoff brand.

KBL’s Head of Mainstream Spirits Ann-Joy Muhoro said that the brand Smirnoff is founded on key pillars of Music, Art, Dance and Fashion, all cornerstones of a vibrant and creatively driven society.

“Today, Battle of the beats is a culmination of the research led insights that show more and more that Kenyans are increasingly investing in creative arts as a lifestyle. Knowing this, Kenya breweries has provided a platform where our consumer can express themselves in this unique art form to enjoy and entertain Kenyans. We want to continue to connect with our consumers at their touchpoints and this competition is another supporting element for this,” said Ms. Muhoro.

Muhoro noted that Smirnoff stands for inclusive good times and together with their like-minded partners, they will ensure that the best talents are headlining clubs and festivals, regardless of gender, and enable genuine, long-lasting change in the industry through the Smirnoff Battle of the Beats programme.

The millennial consumers are still currently the dominant consumer category globally. This continues to influence KBL’s business direction to continue to make product offerings that are accessible and relevant to this market category.

The DJs competition by extension is a new value proposition that the company feels will both resonate with the target audience and also push the envelope to capitalize on a booming entertainment industry in the country.

According to a Pricewaterhouse Coppers report, as of 2017 the Kenyan entertainment and media industry was worth 219 Billion shillings and is anticipated to rise to up to 330 Billion shillings by 2021. This highlights the huge investment currently seen and rationale corporates use to continue to invest in the industry for cross-cutting economic benefits for the country.