Rum Connoisseur Interview Of The Week EUGENIA RAMÍREZ Ron Cihuatán’s Marketing Manager
Rum Connoisseur
Interview Of The Week
EUGENIA RAMÍREZ
Ron Cihuatán’s Marketing Manager
1. Who is Eugenia Ramírez?
Curiosity drives everything I do. Since I was a little girl, I’ve always wanted to know how things work. I was that kid who was more into Legos than dolls, and would pull apart her toys (or my brother’s) to see how they were made. I was also an avid reader – and can still remember the first book my dad gifted me at age five. It was a kids dictionary. Funny choice for a “toy”.
This curiosity drove me to be an early adopter of blogs – from reading them to writing them. As I was getting my economics major, I got more into creativity and advertising blogs. This led me to a career as a Junior Creative Director in advertising right after college. Advertising made me fall in love with brands. I see brands as people. They have a personality, which should shine through in everything they do, no matter how small. The economics/business woman in me made me take the jump from advertising to marketing, which I see as the perfect mix of both entrepreneurship and creativity.
2. Biggest achievement you personally feel you have accomplish for the rum
I’m still pretty new to the rum industry – I’ve been with Ron Cihuatán for only six months, and it’s the first brand in the spirits industry I’ve worked with. Despite this short time, I do take pride in building our rum’s personality. I have several projects underway to really show the world who Ron Cihuatán is and what we stand for: handcrafted entrepreneurship, passion, a love for our country and a huge drive to go where no Salvadoran has gone before. The world is starting to get to know El Salvador’s first rum.
3. What made you fall in love with rum and when did it happen?
There are two moments that instantly come to mind. The first one, was my first rum tasting. One of the key rum experts we work with, Luis Ayala, guided me through the basics of rum flavors and aromas. This definitely opened my mind to what rum really is: a world of possibility.
The second one was when I attended my first trade show in San Francisco. It was highly fulfilling to get to know other rum connoisseurs. More importantly, I got to see first-hand how a Ron Cihuatán fan is made. To drink our rum can truly be love at first sip.
4. What is that thing that makes you want to continue in the rum industry?
I am still learning! The spirits world truly allows a marketer to craft a story. It’s more than just the liquid you’re selling, but how you can make other people live it – and have a great time while at it. I feel like a kid in a playground.
5. Favourite Drink + Recipe
People usually think of mixing rum with lime and Coke, but you must try it with a hint of ginger!
Cihuatán Dark & Stormy
2 oz Cihuatán Rum 8 years
¼ oz lime juice
Top with Ginger Beer
6. Where do you see the rum industry today and in the next 5 years?
I am truly excited about all the education evolving around the rum consumer: they are more interested than ever in knowing how the products they drink are made, where they come from, the people behind them and more. This is a great opportunity for the premium rum category to compete beyond pricing.
7. Share some (2-3) of your mentors and how they have helped
When I was in advertising I really got to know Jaime Molina and Ana Maria Rochac de Molina. They’re both pioneers in the Salvadoran advertising industry. I really admire them both for their creativity, open mindedness, integrity and passion for teaching others everything they’ve learned along the way. I also especially admire Ana Maria for making a name for herself in a typically male dominated industry. She’s also the kind of woman who will go out of her way to give other women a chance.
8 . What 3-5 things do you have in your bucket list for the next 12 month?
My main goal for 2018 is to further develop Ron Cihuatán’s personality. I really want people to discover our story, our country, our heritage and obviously, our flavor. There’s so much about us that nobody knows yet – for example, we proudly have one of the few woman rum masters!
I also want to develop the branding and advertising efforts for our new rum. We’ve already tested a couple of prototypes with real costumer, and got such great feedback that I can’t wait for everyone to see it and try it. And speaking of tastings – we’re also looking forward to attending the trade show and festival circuit in 2018. Few industries allow constant innovation, so we really want to make the best of it.
I’d also love to welcome new people to the marketing team – the spirits industry is constantly innovating so fresh ideas are always welcome to keep Ron Cihuatán interesting and have more people discover our rum. The devil is in the details, so it would be awesome to have more hands on deck.
On a personal note, I want to travel more! I believe that travel is one of the best things you can spend your money on – it opens your eyes to new places, ideas and people. I always come back energized and full of ideas whenever I travel. I especially want to hit up a music festival, like ACL or Outside Lands.
9. How can people learn more about you? Website? Social Media Page?
You can learn more about Ron Cihuatán by following us on Instagram @roncihuatan or liking Ron Cihuatán on Facebook.
Also, you can get a personal sneak peek into the daily life of Ron Cihuatán, plus a couple other funny stories on my personal Instagram, @alabama503
