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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« AMERICAN MADE StateWays | www.stateways.com | September/October 2016 26 WRAPPED IN THE FLAG "There is defi nitely a more patriotic feeling in the air right now," says Katie Clas, a purveyor for Phillips Distilling, producer of Prairie Organic and UV vodkas. She cites the upcoming elec- tions and nationalism surrounding the Olympic Summer Games as factors. "There is a real consumer drive towards 'Americana' right now," says Richard Black, vice president of marketing, White Spirits & Cordials for Campari America, whose portfolio in- cludes Skyy Vodka. Black cites studies that show American brands driving segment growth, and Skyy Vodka is growing at nearly 5% ahead of the category as a whole. Quite a few beverage producers are cloaking their products in a patriotic halo. The most blatant example is America Beer, aka Budweiser. Vodka too has embraced that stance, with brands like American Star Vodka, American Pride Vodka, American Revolu- tion Vodka, Salute America and Heroes Vodka—the latter three are either veteran-owned or devote a portion of sales to helping veterans and their families. Similarly, this summer UV Vodka launched a "Salute to Heroes" program supporting veterans. Stars and stripes and red, white and blue fi gure into label, bottle and packaging of many American vodka brands. (And, oddly enough, on a limited-edition package of the Swedish brand, Svedka.) "A number of vodka brands are running with that idea of Americana, tapping into the country's roots," says Reid Hafer, senior brand manager at Heaven Hill, responsible for Burnett's Vodka. This summer, the brand launched a USA Party Edition, featuring a full-shrink sleeve with red, white and blue graphics for the 1.75ml size. It has gotten a great response from consumers, Hafer says. McCormick's 360 Vodka also emphasizes its origins, espe- cially on its Limited Edition Patriot Bottle, released every sum- mer. "We are proud of being an American-owned company, and proud of the quality that results from being American-made," says Noelle Hale, communications director for McCormick Dis- tilling Co. STYLE GUIDE Is there such a thing as an American style of vodka? The answer is a combination of yes, no, maybe and not yet, but soon. "What defi nes American vodka is more about the brand's personality than a fl avor profi le," asserts Hafer at Heaven Hill. Burnett's messaging revolves around images of American pas- times like picnics and tailgate parties. "The hallmark of American vodka is that it is clean and stripped of impurities," Hale says, citing the TTB's defi nition of vodka as a colorless, tasteless, odorless, neutral grain spirit. 360 Vodka is made from locally sourced grain and is six-times dis- tilled and six-times fi ltered. "Skyy was one of the fi rst to buck European vodka creation norms when it invented the quadruple-distilled, triple-fi ltered process, creating one of the original uniquely American vodkas," Black says, adding, "What makes American vodka basically dif- ferent is, of course, the source grains and water used." "But I don't know that that is a consistent style of vodka in Like amber fi elds of grain, a wave of patriotism is rousing sentiments and opening pocketbooks of American consumers. Certainly, a buy-American impulse is helping sales of domestic vodkas, many of which have made that a part of their brand messaging. And those magic market- ing terms, "local" and "craft," are often part of the communication. All of which begs the question: Is there an American style of vodka? And can it compete successfully against established imported vodka brands?