Stateways

StateWays - July/August 2015

StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions

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StateWays ■ www.stateways.com ■ July/August 2015 40 to package and keep fresh. We have a process — using New Zea- land milk, which is very fresh — of maintaining the freshness right through to the consumer." Another reason why natural ingredients are imperative is be- cause Millennials are especially keen to the legitimacy of prod- uct quality. "They're the Whole Foods generation," Bauer says. "They're savvier about authen- ticity and nutrition." Among Millennials, the ap- peal of RTDs is strong. They fi t into a Millennial's active, di- verse, pleasure-seeking lifestyle. And RTD-makers advertise and brand accordingly. "Our colors and funny names are important marketing strat- egies," says Kick, of BuzzBalls. "You can mix and match them. The colors are bright and vivid. The colors of the balls match the colors of the cocktails inside." The brand is unveiling a new marketing campaign this year. "It's called The Party Counselor," Kick says. "Basically, he's this handlebar-mustache-wearing, country-boy-looking Texas guy who goes around fi xing people's bad parties." Ease of pleasure is a common theme in RTD strategies. "At their core, these were created for people throwing parties," Bauer says. "LIQs can live in coolers, fridges, or be out by the pool. You can grab one, hand them out to friends, and keep the party going." A sense of youthful irreverence and experimentation is also prevalent within RTD marketing. With names like Buttery Nip- ple and Skull Crusher, Twisted Shotz and Double Barrel stand out from more traditional drinks. "I think part of the recent rise in RTDs is people's openness to new fl avors, and being irreverent with spirits," Heyworth says. "People like having a little bit of fun. They're not hung up on Old-World myths about how you're supposed to drink spirits." Twisted Shotz are diverse in fl avor and relatively low in ABV. This plays naturally into the sort of fun, shared experience popu- lar among Millennials. "They're a bit like a box of chocolate in our mix pack," Heyworth says. "You can compare who's had what and what they think about them. That's how women shoot. They say, 'This shot was delicious. You want to try one?'" Social media remains an effective strategy for connect- ing with Millennials, partly be- cause it appears indirect. "We try to be organic with our mar- keting, so that it feels like they're discovering it on their own terms," Vieira says. "Of course, with Millennials, you have to be on Instagram." Bauer agrees: "Millennials don't want marketing that tries to convince them that something is healthy. They want to be talked to straight. That's why we don't try to force our products down anyone's throats. We really want people to come across our products organically. We just try to fi t in." To boost the online presence of LIQs, Bauer buys local- "As long as Americans continue to be Americans, with their time becoming more valuable and less available, RTDs are going to see huge growth." –SANDRA PACHECO, NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR FOR SOUTHWEST WINES RTD Flavors from ready- to-drink brand Craft- ed Cocktails include Moonlight and Lanai. Double Barrel shots, from the maker of Twist- ed Shotz, contain a high- er alcohol content and mix two different fl avors in each serving Twisted Shotz pre- mixed shots all have unique names, like B-52. VO | CO beverages are a mix of vodka and coconut water.

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