Stocking up for christmas: Bottled brands

Christmas is seen as key in cementing consumer loyalties for bottled brands

Festive FABs​

We could be heading for a FAB Christmas. Flavoured alcoholic beverages, also known as the ready-to-drink (RTD) sector, had a setback at the last Budget when the Chancellor upped duty on the product.

But that hasn't stopped drinks companies increasing the efforts behind FABs - and this festive period is seen as a key time in cementing consumer loyalties.

FAB drinkers tend to be party people, so you can expect to see more of them in your pub, and they often bring their mates, so they form a particularly important audience for licensees at this time of year.

There is also plenty of marketing activity promised. Diageo has sought to demonstrate its confidence in the category by launching two new FABs to join Smirnoff Ice and Archers Aqua - Gordon's Edge and Smirnoff Black Ice.

It is also increasing its marketing spend to £24m between now and Christmas and reducing its wholesale prices for the festive period.

"We are focused on generating value in RTDs for the on-trade," said Diageo commercial director Tony Mair. "The category has been hit by the duty increase but consumer perceptions remain highly positive. RTDs are an established part of the repertoire for most 18 to 34-year-olds.

"We would expect to see our brands competitively priced in wholesalers this Christmas in the region of £19.99 per case, allowing them to be sold at a price point near to premium packaged lagers in pubs and bars."

Tony reminds licensees that more than 86 per cent of FAB volume comes from the top five brands - Smirnoff Ice, Reef, Bacardi Breezer, WKD and Archers Aqua - so it's crucial that outlets use valuable fridge space for big-selling lines.

Bursts of TV advertising are promised for Smirnoff Ice in the run-up to Christmas while during November a nationwide on-trade promotion means consumers can buy a round of six Smirnoff Ice or Smirnoff Black Ice and get a free table air football game.

"A series of tournaments will take place during November among barstaff of outlets close to the 20 Premiership clubs and 12 Scottish Premier League clubs as part of a search for the UK's air football champion," explained Tony.

This Christmas also sees the return of Beverage Brands' WKD to national TV with new ads promoting the full WKD range of Iron Brew, Blue and new clear addition WKD Original Vodka Silver.

There is also a national posterboard campaign with a seasonal twist as part of the £3m festive media spend.

"Licensees can make the most of the festive season by stocking trusted brands that have a high media profile," said marketing manager Karen Salters. "FAB consumers in general are very label conscious and a brand's message needs to stand out in the crowded marketplace."

Christmas is a time when consumers are more experimental in their tastes and many new products are launched to cash in.

Beverage Brands' contributions are WKD Silver and 40 per cent ABV shot, WKD 40, which, it says, has "the right personality for festive celebrations". Research shows that shots are bought in addition to a usual round of drinks.

The company has also extended its four per cent ABV offering Woody's Vodka Refresher to include Orange and Lemon flavours after successful trials.

Meanwhile, GBL International, the firm behind Vodka Kick, has a couple of new products on the market in the shape of a butterscotch addition to its Fire and Ice shots range and a whole new shots range in Corky's, available in Choc Mint, Liquorice, Toffee, Lime and Chilli, Apple, Sour and Cherry flavours.

A WKD offer from Beverage Brands​

Beverage Brands is making the most of demand for shots at Christmas with hot shot promotional teams dressed in black leather holsters selling the WKD 40 brand around bars. To celebrate it is giving away 40 promotional kits for you to boost sales. Each kit contains branded shot glasses, T-shirts, posters and pourers.

For a free promotional kit write to: WKD 40/Publican Giveaway, PO BOX 15, Hassocks, East Sussex BN6 9WN.

The first 40 applications opened will receive the kit in time for Christmas.

New vodka gets fizzical​

Here's a new way to bring a bit of sparkle to your Christmas trade. UK company Large Distilleries has launched what it claims is the world's first fizzy vodka.

Vodka 02 is described as being infused with potent extracts of exotic herbal aphrodisiacs, has a "sexy" violet hue and is produced in 100ml and 700ml bottles. It can be drunk as a shot or as a mixer for cocktails.

"Bubbles have a way of creating a certain magic," said Large Distilleries' Philip Maitland. "Wine becomes champagne, something special and celebratory and now vodka has been taken into a new dimension. The delicate bubbles excite the palette and create a depth of flavour and sensation."

Here's a couple of ways to serve it:

OO2 Sparkling Martini​

• 1/4 shot extra dry Vermouth
• two shots chilled Vodka O2

Pour vermouth and then Vodka O2 into a mixing glass containing crushed ice. Stir and strain into a Martini glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Vodka O2 Royal​

• two shots chilled Vodka O2
• chilled champagne

Pour Vodka O2 into a champagne flute and top up with champagne.

It's boxing day for wines​

As your customers get into the party mood, wine boxes could be the best way to keep their glasses filled, says Australian wine company BRL Hardy.

Boxed wines are already a growth category as more familiar brands become available in the format and Hardy has itself recently launched New Zealand brand Nobilo White Cloud, VR, Banrock Station and Hardy's Stamp in three-litre boxes.

The boxes feature the new push-button "Flex Tap".

Three-litre boxes hold the equivalent of four 75cl bottles at a price equivalent to three and the wine stays fresh for up to three weeks after opening.

"Boxed wines offer tremendous profit potential," said Adrian McKeon, trading development director for BRL Hardy Wine Company. "Our brands are associated with consistent quality which is what consumers are looking for when they buy wine."

As consumers trade up for the festivities, the other big seasonal opportunity identified by Hardy is among sparkling wines.

That doesn't necessarily mean champagne these days. Sparkling wine doesn't even have to be white.

Banrock Station Sparkling Shiraz (above) is currently exceeding all Hardy's expectations. As a red sparkler it has little competition and opens up fresh opportunities for food-matching over Christmas. Earlier this year a baby version was launched in a 25cl bottle.

"The New World is playing a major part in the growth of sparkling wines in the UK market," said Adrian. "We believe pubs should be dedicating significant shelf space to sparkling wines as it is the perfect drink for the festive season with high profit opportunities."