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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/504798
www.cheersonline.com 25 May 2015 • INTRODUCING the GROWTH BRANDS HALL OF FAMERS We recognize eight brands that have shown sustained growth since 1997 C heers has added a new category to the Growth Brand Awards to honor brands that have shown sustained growth. The Hall of Fame recognizes brands that have won at least 15 Growth Brand Awards since the program's inception in 1997. Seven spirit brands and one wine brand have qualified for that honor in 2015. The Hall of Fame Awards were presented during this year's Growth Brand Awards ceremony in April at the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Convention in Orlando. What makes these brands stand out from the competition? Quality product, innovation and a brand story that resonates with consumers. Here's a closer look at the inaugural class of the Growth Brands Hall of Fame—congratulations to all on this significant accomplishment! BURNETT'S VODKA Heaven Hill Brands 17 Growth Brand Awards 2014 Cases sold: 2.61 million Since its introduction in 1991, Burnett's Vodka has led flavored vodka innovation. Now available in 37 flavors, including its original 80 proof and 100 proof, the brand offers the largest portfolio in the vodka category. Burnett's was awarded a Fast Track Growth Brand Award in 2015. Burnett's growth has been bolstered by the flavored category's explosion during the past few years. The brand launched two new flavors last year—strawberry banana and ruby red grapefruit—as well as a new marketing campaign emphasizing the fun of consumption. "In the year ahead, we'll be continuing the 'More Fun with Burnett's' campaign and launching two new flavors," says Kate Latts, director of marketing at Heaven Hill Brands. "We'll also continue our in-store merchandising program with a new display that looks like a blue Solo cup, which is a major way the brand is consumed at young, fun, house-party environments." The recent declines in some corners of the flavored vodka category have not deterred Burnett's. "We've been very prudent to launch flavors that fit with Burnett's equity and have consumer relevance," Latts says. "We've seen so many brands launch so many flavors and we feel the consumer eventually said, 'enough already!'" she notes. "We've tried not to follow the candy and confectionary flavor craze off the cliff." Burnett's is analyzing its distribution partnerships to optimize which sizes and flavors should appear in each market, working on an account-by-account basis. "We're really trying to paint the picture of our distribution and flavor mix with a finer paint brush to see which products are working best," Latts adds.