The alcohol brands we love
Gen Y-ers like to go out and have a drink – or four. But a question many in the alcohol marketing and distribution industries wonder is, “What do we drink and why?”
As a generation, we are at a crossroads of sorts when it comes to our alcohol consumption. Many of us are leaving behind the days of college, and drinking the cheapest rubbing alcohol isn’t as appealing as it once was. A bigger portion of our generation is now working, and has a higher level of disposable income.
Now, we can either buy larger and more copious amounts of rubbing alcohol and beer-flavored water, or we can spend money on something more “classy” and start drinking real alcohol like the rest of civilized society.
We’re finally wising up and choosing the latter.
Because we are finally spending more money on higher-quality alcohol, it is important for alcohol companies to target us effectively and maintain a brand that we feel comfortable with and enjoy being a part of.
Alcohol brands themselves sometimes carry more weight than the actual product, so it is important for companies to understand what Millennials are looking for in a brand of booze and why we like the brands we do.
The “Most Interesting Man in the World” (TMIMITW) could be one of the greatest ad campaigns of the past 20 years. TMIMITW single-handedly turned Dos Equis from just-another-Mexican-beer-you-bought-when-you-couldn’t-afford-Corona to a favorite brand for beer drinkers. Every brand can learn from Dos Equis and implement some of the strategies that have made them so successful.
First, TMIMITW is the perfect example of the personification of the brand. He portrays characteristics that everyone can relate to and wishes they had.
Second, they not only write genius copy (“At museums, he’s allowed to touch the art” and “His mom has a tattoo that says son”), but also successfully integrate the campaigns through every communicable medium. Their TV commercials, radio commercials, and online presence are consistent and help Dos Equis build their brand equity.
If Dos Equis is the new hotshot kid on the block, Corona is the established legend. Their commercials portray one idea, one feeling, which Corona has come to embody. The idea of a fun and relaxing tropical beach is something everyone needs. Corona tries to give you a little piece of that feeling in everything they do. When someone says “pool party,” Corona is always the first beer that comes to mind, and if you are attending a pool party or going to the beach, chances are someone has brought Coronas. This is the proof of a job well done. They have successfully adopted an emotion and transferred it to their product. Gen Y-ers need a break now and again, and Corona wants to be that little vacation we can take wherever we are.
The Captain can be considered the grandfather of TMIMITW. What Dos Equis has accomplished in the past few years, Captain Morgan has been doing for a decade. Their leverage of The Captain, his excitement, fun, and the charisma he brings makes the rum that much more loved. The easily recognizable Captain “pose” has been done (and photographed and put on Facebook) by pretty much anyone who has walked into a bar. Also, the Captain was real! Captain Henry Morgan was an honest-to-goodness buccaneer, a pirate of the Caribbean.
It is the ultimate luxury brand in alcoholic beverages. Why is Grey Goose so admired and loved by Gen Y? Because it is so damn expensive! The aura around Grey Goose stems purely from its price and luxurious image. Most people subscribe to the idea that if something is more expensive, it is probably better. This is what the Grey Goose brand stands for; because it’s so expensive, it has to be good. This unattainable image makes everyone want it. It does help that it is tasty, but Grey Goose’s calculated positioning as the luxury brand in vodka makes it a brand to be respected and looked up to.
Whether you consume alcohol or not, you have to tip your hat to alcohol companies. They have mastered their craft over the decades and our generation is a big fan.
What are your favorite alcohol brands and why?
Photo by The Adventures of Kristin & Adam
Moet & Chandon
Hennessy
Gordon’s – or maybe Beefeater or Bombay Saphire?
Veuve Clicquot
Grey Goose, Absolut and Ketel One?
I totally want to hang out with The Most Interesting Man in the World, even if I think beer is gross.
I’ll agree with Corona and Captain, but I’m not so sure about Dos Equis and Grey Goose. I would have instead chosen PBR and Smirnoff as the token “Gen Y” drinks. Regardless of advertising, they each have their own distinct place in Gen Y culture.
I agree with Christine. If we were only judging on advertising, Dos Equis would definitely be in my top 5 alcohol brands…but I’ve never bought a 6-pack.
PBR has its own place in our Generation as the “ironically cool” hipster brand. It’s cheap, too, which is great. There was an AdAge article in late-May that stated only four brands had increased sales in a 4-week period ending May 16: PBR, Keystone Light, Modelo Especial, and Yuengling. I’d say our generation is responsible for at least 2 of those.
Smirnoff (the vodka) does seem to be a lot more popular with our generation, especially considering the amount of competitors it has in the low-mid quality vodka category. I don’t know why that is,As a “malt beverage,” Smirnoff Ice defi but I assume advertising has a lot to do with it. nitely just had its time in the sun (and accidentally reached the target demo that Mike’s Hard Lemonade is currently going after…oops).
As a recent grad myself, I’m trying to stray away from the plastic liquor bottles and develop a more “adult” taste. I assume that’s what many people in our generation are going through, which means that brands can really hook us in. I’m brand-less right now, as far as alcohol goes. It’s a crucial time for brands to latch onto that lack of loyalty and develop us into lifetime brand ambassadors.
Tom Miesen
@tmiesen
I’d say Smirnoff is definitely more popular among Gen Y than Grey Goose. It’s not that I don’t like Grey Goose. It’s delicious, in fact. But, well, I feel almost guilty drinking it on a random night. It’s expensive, and I feel like I need a special occasion for it. That’s probably why I have a medium-sized bottle I haven’t opened in over a year.
Like Tom pointed out, Smirnoff has a lot of competitors in their price range, but…I don’t know, they just seem more popular. Part of it probably has to do with the plethora of flavors — just like Grey Goose and Three Olives and Absolut, but cheaper.
I think the name recognition that goes along with the Smirnoff ice bottles and those new Smirnoff mixed thingies (The blueberry lemonade ones? Awesome!) helps, too.
Love the post, Todd. Very interesting to think about alcohol brands and our generation. While I’d agree that the recent Dos Equis campaign is excellent, I can’t say I’ve bought the beer because of it. Or ever, actually.
What about wine drinkers in Gen Y? Bags of Franzia were at nearly every party I went to in college. Or Charles Shaw, aka “2-buck Chuck.” I think there’s something to be said about drinking cheap wine. Wine in general alludes to status and class, but what does it mean for Gen Yers to drink the cheapest possible versions of it? Just a thought!
What the hell, where the f^&* is the Vitale!!!!!!
excuse me Vitali