St. Croix has already benefited from the Cruzan Rum brand which has helped 'brand awareness' of the island with their brightly colored tropical-flavored rums associated with country music singer Kenny Chesney.
If the USVI can combine the geo-brand of Cruzan along with the image-brand of Captain Morgan and leverage both with the success of 'Pirates of the Caribbean' - it could be a real marketing bonanza for St. Croix.
One of the great 'undiscovered' islands of the Caribbean - this could be the key to unlocking the potential of St. Croix's unique combination of history, eco-potential, laid-back style and off-beat charm.
As one of the largest islands that have resisted the 'Floridia-fication' of their tourist product - Captain Morgan could attract tourists who want an 'old-style' Caribbean experience.
Captain Morgan has been produced in Ponce, Puerto Rico - which never leveraged its brand for tourism purposes - since most people assume that Captain Morgan rum is from Jamaica (where it originated). The pirate theme never meshed well with the Latino brands - Bacardi (San Juan) and Don Q (Ponce) which both feature Puerto Rico in their marketing.
Caribbean Consulting will be working on St. Croix during July - so we'll give an update when we get back...
