Uncensored CMO
Uncensored CMO
Jon Evans
How Guinness became No.1, the power of sporting partnerships & the “Diageo way” to build brands - Grainne Wafer
35 minutes Posted Jul 16, 2025 at 12:00 am.
Intro01:19 - What are the trends in the beverage industry?03:25 - What are the up and coming portfolio brands for Diageo?05:01 - How does Diageo manage brands internally?06:30 - Is Diageo going to sell Guinness?08:42 - What’s behind Diageo’s 17% YoY growth?12:03 - Guinness sport activation with Rugby and Football12:36 - How Guinness 0% is so close to the original14:23 - Guinness’ sponsorship of Football and Rugby16:26 - How to do measure the value of a sponsorship of the Premier League17:39 - When the UK ran out of Guinness18:08 - Sponsoring the Women’s Six Nations21:44 - How Diageo broadly measures the impact of marketing23:57 - Baileys celebrates 50 years25:22 - How Baileys was transformed27:23 - The Diageo way of brand building31:38 - Grainne’s advice to CMOs
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Show notes
In partnership with NBCUniversal, we sit down with Grainne Wafer, Global Category Director (Beer, Vodka, Liqueurs) at Diageo, to explore how one of the world’s biggest drinks companies drives growth and builds iconic brands. Grainne shares the trends shaping the beverage industry, the transformation of Baileys, and how Diageo manages a portfolio of global powerhouses like Guinness. We also discuss the value of sports sponsorships, the rise of Guinness 0%, and why marketing effectiveness is always on tap.00:00 - Intro01:19 - What are the trends in the beverage industry?03:25 - What are the up and coming portfolio brands for Diageo?05:01 - How does Diageo manage brands internally?06:30 - Is Diageo going to sell Guinness?08:42 - What’s behind Diageo’s 17% YoY growth?12:03 - Guinness sport activation with Rugby and Football12:36 - How Guinness 0% is so close to the original14:23 - Guinness’ sponsorship of Football and Rugby16:26 - How to do measure the value of a sponsorship of the Premier League17:39 - When the UK ran out of Guinness18:08 - Sponsoring the Women’s Six Nations21:44 - How Diageo broadly measures the impact of marketing23:57 - Baileys celebrates 50 years25:22 - How Baileys was transformed27:23 - The Diageo way of brand building31:38 - Grainne’s advice to CMOs