Pretty Girls, Party Scenes, Big Bottles?

October 7, 2009

What do these three things have in common?

They are the essence of nearly every Spirits ad created over the last decade. Not convinced? Let us prove it. You can create your ad with the Generic Vodka Ad Generator. Just answer five simple questions and then you too can be considered a spirits marketing pro.

So how’d it go? Go ahead, make another one, I know you want to. When you’re fnished playing around, then you can read the rest of my blog post. It’s not going anywhere.

Finished? Okay, good.

Whether your spirits brand is inexpensive or top shelf, coconut or caviar flavored, prominently displayed or in the background, there isn’t much differentiation these days in the spirits category. The category has been marketer’s dream: create badge brands based on premium pricing, beautiful packaging, images of people enjoying themselves in social situations. It has been less about what’s inside the bottle than what’s on the outside. So the connection is largely superficial, with little differentiation and a lot of brand switching.

There are a few problems with this picture. With the economy in recession, the trend toward “trading up” has declined. Consumers are re-thinking some of the affordable luxuries they’ve been indulging in, whether a $5 venti latte at Starbuck’s or a $15 Grey Goose martini. Nights out on the town are few and far between and so is the need for a badge brand of vodka, bourbon or tequila.  When you’re drinking at home, a mid-tier or bottom shelf brand may do just fine.  Substance is beginning to play a more important role than style.

So when we ask ourselves, is it a tough time to market spirits brands, the answer is yes. However, with the emergence of an increasing number of digital options, the decline in on-premise consumption, and the increase in off-premise, there are opportunities to connect with spirits drinkers in ways and places that will increase consumer engagement and loyalty. There is also an opportunity to more precisely define the spirit drinker, beyond the typical 20-something “pub and club” set that just about every spirit brand goes after.

Northlich has experience helping brands in the vodka, rum, tequila and liqueur categories find a unique place to live; then connecting that ownable position with a targeted group of consumers, defined by their attitudes toward life, as well as their attitudes about what to drink, where to drink and who to drink with. Take a look at our Finlandia Vodka work to see how we positioned Finlandia to represent a moment and place of purity in an impure world, targeted to an older, more confident audience driven more by quality, authenticity and substance.

If you are interested in knowing more about specific tools and techniques we use to uncover these insights, or want to learn more about our experience in this category, let me know. We are always up for a good drink.

Cheers!

Ashley

posted by Northlich October 7, 2009 in cultural storms