Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/303900
Clear Profit 26 Beverage Dynamics • May/June 2014 www.beveragedynamics.com pristine Japanese water, Ao Vodka has distinct characteristics. It's a smooth vodka, with clean, crisp fl avors and a subtle rice note. It is perfect for simple cocktails with fresh garnishes. We don't know any similar vodka on the market today." Because of this interesting background the key to Ao's success, says Brachet, is to let people taste it as much as possible. "This is quite innovative in the world of vodka, since very few unfl avored vodka brands would organize in-store tastings. Retail stores have been very excited about the opportunity to let their consumers taste Japanese vodka made from rice," he points out. Newfoundland-made, small-batch Iceberg Vodka, made with real iceberg water courtesy of an iceberg harvester, was already well known and appreciated because of its use of such pure water. In the last year, Iceberg grew 10% on a global basis. Yet recently, Iceberg's CEO, David Meyers, unveiled a new look for the brand. "We're coming up on our twentieth anniversary and had a bit of a dated feel on our label. We thought it was time to update our overall look. The bottle is iconic as it looks like a block of ice, or a chunk of an iceberg. It was meant to evoke a feeling of cold, pure ice," he says. In-store visibility is extremely important to Meyers, and one of the reasons he decided to take this new design initiative. "It's obviously critical, and this is one of the main features we focused on in the redesign of the label," says Meyers, who notes they have now incorporated a 3D holographic iceberg image on the fi rst ther- mo-chromatic vodka label; when the bottle is chilled to 38 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler, part of the blue iceberg morphs into a red maple leaf. "We also participate in a number of near-pack and other added value promotions. One of our innovative promotions for the retail environment includes a counter unit, which dispenses 60 miniature bottles in our three fl avor offerings of Cucumber, Chocolate Mint and Crème Brûlée," Meyer notes. While Tito's has successfully played off of its Texan origins, other lesser-known brands have likewise played up their American roots. American Harvest Organic Spirit identifi es its origins as Snake River, USA. The small-batch, handcrafted brand gets its water from the aquifers beneath Idaho's Snake River plain, and uses organic Amer- ican winter wheat in its production. Prairie Vodka is another hand- crafted, organic brand (original and cucumber-fl avored versions) that features its American pedigree, particularly in its use of organic corn from Benson, MN, in its production. CELEB-BACKED VODKAS Sometimes, a celebrity push gives a vodka brand a new direction. Just think of the sales magic Sean "Diddy" Combs performed for Ciroc. For its part, Smirnoff just launched its new positioning and marketing campaign, "Exclusively for Everybody," wherein exclu- sivity is mocked in the short digital fi lm "The Party," with Adam Scott of Parks and Recreation and Alison Brie of Community. Addi- tionally, Smirnoff joined forces with Spotify for the Ultimate House Party Program, wherein customers submit their favorite house party song via the website spotify.com/smirnoff, and then Smirnoff will select four winners to be treated to a blow-out summer party. When Dan Aykroyd launched Newfoundland-made Crystal Head Vodka—joining the Infi nium Spirits portfolio that also includes the familiar brand Seagram's Vodka and its sweet tea-fl avored spin- off—it caused quite a stir, not only for the man behind it, but its striking bottle designed as a skull. It was a keepsake and that got customers equally excited about the liquid inside, which upheld the dynamic story promised in the package because it was quadru- ple-distilled and fi ltered through Herkimer diamond crystals. American Harvest organic spirit identifi es as a home-grown spirit, with ingredients sourced in America and the fi nal product handcrafted here. Prairie Vodka, produced from organic corn, also places itself squarely in the American grain. From Newfoundland, small-batch produced Iceberg Vodka recently redesigned its bottle. Three Olives Vodka is using the tried-and-true celebrity of Elvis Presley in its latest Coconut Wa- ter-fl avored expression.