4 Why do you think viral or contagion mechanisms are often adopted by alcohol brands specifically? In the same way that Scotland has a national spirit in whisky, and Russia in vodka, Brazil has cachaca (pronounced coshasa). The spirit, made from sugar cane, has been produced in Brazil for over 500 years, and the Brazilian population drink their way through 1.3 billion litres of it every year. But whereas Russia exports 50 per cent of the vodka it produces, less than 1 per cent of the cachaca produced in Brazil each year leaves the country. As with many national spirits, there is a variation in quality from the ‘rough stuff’ to the brands for aficionados. Brazil’s premium quality cachaca brand is Sagatiba (pronounced sagachiba). The brand owners decided it was time for the rest of the world to experience Sagatiba, and thus embarked on a £20m European launch campaign during 2005. The long-term objective was to make Sagatiba as well-known and popular as Bacardi, but starting from a zero awareness base, there was a long way to go.