Chapter Four. ‘Bird Gin’ ANd ‘Money Gin’

This chapter explores the complexities of the marketing of Dutch gins in West Africa during the first half of the twentieth century. It introduces the colonial ideology of consumption as an important factor in shaping traders’ and marketers’ understandings of what, and how, to sell to Africans. The chapter looks at the various ways in which gins were marketed to African consumers. It considers marketing strategies, intended uses of the product, underlying assumptions about African consumers, and the responses of the intended consumers. The chapter examines the emergence of the various main types and brands of Dutch gin and their respective trademarks. The author uses a number of court cases on alleged trademark infringements to examine in more detail some of the shared meanings as well as misunderstandings between producers and African consumers.Keywords: African consumers; alleged trademark infringements; colonial ideology; Dutch gin brands; Dutch gin marketing

Advertising · Business · African history and culture studies · Marketing