January was a tough month to get through for most, cold weather, healthy eating, hard-core gyming and if you were brave enough, abandoning the booze. But whilst health brands and gyms have seen the benefit to the “new year, new me” behaviours, we wanted to understand how the Dry January mindset is evolving and what other trends will affect the drinks market this year. In this article, we’re going to run through findings from our interview with Global Brand Director of Bacardi, Zeenah Vilcassim and outline three ways you should be positioning your alcohol brand for 2018.
TREND #1: REDUCTION NOT ELIMINATION
The drink culture in the UK is changing. Whilst there is no denying we’re a nation that has previously been known for “binge drinking” we’re now seeing attitudes shift towards alcohol reduction and “everything in moderation”. Data from the Office of National Statistics’ report on Adult Drinking Habits showed that in the last ten years, three million adults are intent on moderating consumption in smaller serves with older people reducing and younger people not drinking as much.
The good news for brands, is that customers aren’t necessarily eliminating all together, they’re just focussing more on reduction for a healthier lifestyle. From our interview with Barcardi Global Brand Director Zeenah, she explained that for the past few years Dry January was about proving you can go without alcohol for a month, whereas this year it’s been more about taking those principals and applying a more considered approach to what you drink all year round.
According to the Eventbrite Brighter Futures report, as well as the health side of things being drunk compromises a key reason for going out in the first place - ‘creating memories’. With just 13% regard getting drunk as the most important thing when going out. So with this in mind, alcohol brands should focus their attentions on how they can stay top of mind, even when they’re not top priority. Its inevitable that initiatives like Dry January will have an impact on consumption, but when consumption is on the decline, how can brands integrate themselves into other aspects of the buyers experience to remain present and relevant all year round?
OUR ADVICE: Be part of peoples lives
Even if it’s not in the month of January think of ways that you can be of value, it’s not just about the drink but what you can do with it. Consider ways to embed yourself in your customers lives, whether it’s through food, entertainment, education or once in a life time experiences. Find a way to cement your brand, even when your audience isn’t drinking. For inspiration, check out Camden Brewery for how they managed to create a beer club for runners and utilised on the bottomless brunch craze.