The Supermalt Identity : How Brixton-Based Afro-Caribbean Consumers Construct a Danish Malt Beer Brand as One of Their Own

Purpose - The objective of this article is to conduct a case study of the Supermalt brand of malt beer, which has become the preferred beverage of Afro-Caribbean consumers in Brixton on a very limited marketing budget. Design/methodology/approach - The article uses the concepts of personal identity and brand identity in a qualitative study to explore how Brixton-based Afro-Caribbean consumers construct their self-identities and the brand identity of Supermalt. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 Afro-Caribbean consumers. Each interview was divided into three parts. The first part focused on consumers' self-identities. The second part explored the role of food and beverage products in the construction of self-identities. The final part focused on the construction of brand identity for Supermalt. Findings - The article provides information on the self-identities constructed by Afro-Caribbean informants. The food and beverage consumption of informants reflects their mixed cultural identity. The brand identity Supermalt appears to be malleable, with ample room for consumer co-construction. Perceptions of brand identity differ markedly among informants, who are all able to construct Supermalt as one of their own. Research limitations/implications - The findings are based solely on semi-structured interviews with a small sample of Afro-Caribbean consumers. The findings are therefore not generalizable. Practical implications - The Supermalt brand represents an interesting case for companies aiming to develop strong brands with a limited marketing budget. Based on the Supermalt case, suggestions are made regarding branding in relation to ethnic minorities. Originality/value - This article provides a study of a brand that has become strong within a narrowly defined group of consumers