Thirst Shots: Spirits Strategies & Innovation Conference

Both Bacardi (referencing Grey Goose recycled aluminium miniatures) and Diageo urged us to make sustainability so beautiful and unique in its own right, that consumers only think of what they’re gaining rather than think of what’s ‘lacking’ (e.g. size, weight). Both challenged us to frame luxury as delicacy rather than decadence.

Botivo, a self proclaimed pleasure company, not a moderation company, never wants to be seen as an alcoholic substitute, but the star of the show. They set out to make something that was so delicious you’d want to drink it in those typical relax and unwind alcohol occasions. This is exactly what they’ve achieved. And with yellow piano sing alongs to cap it off, they make it hard not to get involved.

Constellation Brands’ High West Distillery amplifies their brand advocacy by leaning into competitive socialising (which, arguably, makes getting off your sofa and out socialising irresistible). Their High West Mountain Experience is a multiday immersive experience of cocktail crafting, skiing and, of course apres-ski to recreate their Utah home. Select attendees must reach certain targets to earn their place, and the experience, in turn, fosters loyalty and advocacy.

With a mission to find a bar call as easy as “JD & Coke”, non-alcoholic simple-swap spirits range Clean Co hacked the drinks menu. Instead of having to have a separate non-alc section, they offer vendors the option to add ‘Make it Clean’ to their existing offer (like opting to make a dish vegan). This means consumers can easily enjoy a clean version of their favourite cocktail, no questions asked. Clean mojito please.

One of the biggest challenges for non-alcoholic options is merchandising to reach people when they’re in the right shopping mode. 86% of drinking occasions don’t involve alcohol, and if it’s not on your list, the alcohol aisle is easy to avoid. So Lucky Saint appearing as part of the Meal Deal in Sainsburys is a masterful play to shift perceptions and occasions for non-alc beer and beyond.

Some old lessons are just as relevant today than ever. At the height of Madmen, Woodford Reserve took hold of culture, consumer and brand tastes aligning, choosing the Old Fashioned as their signature serve. As well as looking and tasting great, this serve was “Easy to get right, but – most importantly – hard to get very wrong” enabling a crowd-pleasing consumer experience regardless of mixology skills.

Identifying the Holy Trinity of their consumer passion points – TV, pub, football – led Jameson to firm up their football ties. From a Percival collab and celebration of grassroots clubs ahead of the Women’s World Cup to an English Football League partnership which increased both consideration and consumption. By tapping into fan culture through limited edition merch and activating in regions often forgotten by big brands, Jameson turned football fans into whiskey fans.

Clean Co’s partnerships operate on a purely value swap arrangement, meaning for any partnership to work it has to be a win/win situation. Hoka X Clean Co Run club is a prime example of this. Tapping into a mutual audience with mutual interests, Hoka brought the kit, Clean Co brought the socialising and post-run refreshments. The result? A diehard community and a lot of mutual brand love, was created.

Finally LVMH hinted that if they’re going to do RTDs, they’re going to do them right, using their partnership with Franck Audoux and cocktail bar Cravan as a test and learn space for their innovations. Franck describes cocktails as  ‘a window to different universes: design, art, music, literature… ‘, so watch this space to see how that could translate to artfully authentic ready to drink offerings in the future…