Stateways

StateWays - March/April 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 ■ March/April 2015 20 (Thousands of 9-liter cases) '13/'14 Brand Supplier 2012 2013 2014p % Change Remy Martin Remy Cointreau USA 634 621 648 4.4% (p) Preliminary. Source: The Beverage Information Group Handbooks & Directories. To learn more go to www.bevinfostore.com. COMEBACK BRANDS: DISTILLED SPIRITS Recognizes brands of signifi cant volume that saw a sales decline in 2013, but which rebounded in 2014. This increase, however, must have resulted in total sales that are at least equal to or greater than the 2012 sales total. ducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame – the fi rst woman to join that group who was directly connected to a distillery. McCormick Distilling's Triple Crown has used social media to build its brand following. The brand leveraged its horse racing tie-in when California Chrome was competing for the Triple Crown in June. "We contributed to online conversa- tions, celebrated with the horse racing community and en- gaged with sportscasters and race fans," says Vice president of marketing Vic Morrison. "We asked, 'America is ready for a Triple Crown, are you?'" While there may not be another Triple Crown contender in 2015, the brand is ready to continue its social media engagement to drive awareness and connect with consumers again this year. Last year the number-one selling Super-Premium Bourbon took things up a notch, as Knob Creek launched its fi rst televi- sion ad, Bookerisms, which showcased the product's Bourbon heritage. The campaign will continue in 2015, as will the brand's commitment to celebrating the spirit of founder Booker Noe. The brand also partnered with celebrity chef Michael Symon, bringing ten fans to the distillery in Kentucky for a campout and grilling demonstration as part of a summer sweepstakes. "We plan to bring consumers even bigger, better and more fl avorful content and experiences in 2015, as we con- tinue our partnership with Chef Symon," says Beam Suntory's Jenkins. "We'll continue to demonstrate Knob Creek's big, full fl avor on the grill and in the glass." 2015 GROWTH BRAND AWARDS – SPIRITS JIM BEAM DEVIL'S CUT Beam Suntory Rising Star 2014 Cases: 0.12m (+11.8%) What makes Devil's Cut successful, besides the outstanding growth in the Bourbon category? "Devil's Cut appeals to whiskey explorers looking to discover Bourbons that have unique production processes or interesting back stories," says Vanessa Jenkins, Sr. Director of U.S. Bourbon at Beam Suntory. "Devil's cut is rooted in authenticity and distilling tradition, and the bold, intense fl avor profi le stands up exceptionally well in classic whiskey cocktails." The brand uses a proprietary process that extracts the liquid trapped inside the charred oak wood of a Bourbon barrel it's been aged in – something not used by any other whiskey on the market. In addition to its unique positioning, Devil's Cut is supported by mar- keting, digital and retail support, including the "Make History" television spot that ran throughout 2014. "We look forward to continuing to grow Devil's Cut as the product gains momentum on- and off-premise," Jenkins says. "As the category leader in innovation, we certainly have a lot of exciting new offerings in the pipeline." JACK DANIEL'S TENNESSEE HONEY Brown-Forman Beverages Rising Star 2014 Cases: 0.67m (+10.0%) "Jack Honey has been able to expand its consumer base by introducing new consumer groups to the world of Jack Daniel's, most notably multicultural consumers and females," says Casey Nelson, Senior Brand Manager for Jack Daniel's fl avor portfolio. "The brand has made a conscientious effort to reach out to these consumers in unique and relevant ways." In 2015 the brand will introduce a new look, which will refl ect the attitude and personality of the brand. Tenneseee Honey also announced a par tnership with Atlantic Records R&B ar tist K. Michelle, a Tennessee native and life-long fan of Jack Daniel's, in an effor t to expand multicultural awareness of the brand. After a successful test launch of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire, the new fl avor in the portfolio will be launching nationally in March. SVEDKA Constellation Brands Established Growth 2014 Cases: 4.08m (+3.3%) Q&A with Diana Pawlik, Vice Pres- ident Marketing, Spirits and Global Imports for Constellation Brands SW: What initiatives or promotions in 2014 contributed most to Svedka's growth? DP: Our strong marketing campaign that encompasses both digital and traditional advertising helped hone in on the consumer, while attracting new entrants to the category. Specifi cally in 2014, the roll out of our Strawberry Lemonade and Mango Pineapple fl avors had some of the highest social media engagement within our category. SW: What do you have planned for 2015 to con- tinue the momentum and ensure you win another Growth Brand next year? DP: Apart from our newest Grapefruit Jalapeno creation, we'll introduce Svedka 100-proof in March. Imbibers are experimenting with unfl avored vodkas, and there is an evolving air of connoisseurship as it relates to the 100-proof segment. Entering that segment allows us to diversify our portfolio, stay competitive and introduce our innovative vision of what 100-proof vodka should be. CIROC Diageo Established Growth 2014 Cases: 2.09m (+8.9%) "We speak a lot about a new America," says Dia Simms, President of Combs Wine & Spirits. "Super- diverse, extraordinarily digitally connected, with a different level of ownership." To that end, Ciroc con- tinues to carve out its own unique space as a modern, ultra-premium choice for celebratory occasions. In 2014 the brand launched Ciroc Pineapple and a new campaign, "Step Into the Circle," in par tnership with the NBA and New York Fashion Week. Ciroc plans to continue activation of that campaign in 2015, along with enhanced par tnerships with the NBA and the Grammys. The gluten-free vodka distilled from French grapes, "offers an affordable access point into the luxury lifestyle in which consumers aspire to partici- pate," according to the brand.

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