Vodka turns blue to attract purists

Diageo is taking aim at the late 20s male market with its new Nordic vodka. Distilled using Nordic berries, Smirnoff Norsk is pale blue and at 37.5 per cent ABV will sit alongside Smirnoff Red vodka in the on-trade.

The vodka is best drunk neat and over ice and, as a result, the company believes it will be attractive to 25 to 30-year-old men.

A spokesman for Diageo said: "Our research has shown that many consumers in their late 20s are looking for brands that stand out from the crowd and offer masculine choices. "They want to be able to step away from the herd with a credible and discerning brand and we believe Norsk offers that."

Nick Griffin, managing director of Brighton pub group Pleisure, is pleased that Diageo is attempting to liven up the vodka category. "Any strategy that tries to get people drinking vodka in its proper fashion - straight up, on the rocks - has to be encouraged. It is viewed too much as a colourless, odourless liquid that you drink with Coke and will get you drunk as a lord on a weekend," he said.

"Marketing it to the 25 to 30 male market is a great opportunity. But if they don't keep that marketing up and let in 18-year-olds, who will just mix it with lemonade, then it will be just another wasted opportunity," he added.

The Smirnoff Norsk launch marks a continued period of investment in vodka by the drinks giant.

Diageo launched a new super premium vodka called Penka in July and earlier this month bought Ursus Vodka Holdings, which has a portfolio of products that includes a sloe berry-flavoured vodka.

Diageo nurtures on-trade​

Diageo has set up a marketing and sales business aimed atnurturing new products and innovations in the on-trade.

Called Hatch, the business has been created in response to what Diageo sees as a shift by consumers to off-trade products.

Mark Taylor, managing director of Hatch, said: "By combining the focus and flexibility of a small business with the added resource of Diageo's on-trade and innovation expertise, we believe that Hatch is uniquely positioned to grow these new innovations."

Hatch will be dedicated to new brands, such as Diageo's first foray into soft drinks, premium juice drink 23.

Available in green, red and blue, it is intended as a mixer for vodka and other spirits.