June 2008

women drinkers

June 2008

SUMMER PROFITS SET TO SOAR WITH FEMALE-MINDED DRINKS DESIGN

UPFRONT, One to Watch, June 2008, COMMENTS

The expression ‘pink pound’ looks destined to take on an alter ego. Traditionally married to the stereotypical image of a gay man’s weighty pockets and his willingness to flash the cash, the phrase is now flirting with a new meaning. Drinks producers are beginning to suggest we ‘think pink’ when it comes to targeting the purses of female consumers. Over the last year, we have seen targeted marketing campaigns from Strongbow Lite and more female orientated cocktails emerging - not least the recent range of character-themed cocktails from Skyy Vodka (‘The Carrie’, ‘The Miranda’) created to celebrate the Sex and the City

film launch. Women are grabbing their weekly night out by the balls and with a greater variety of drinks and cocktails available, they are more discerning than ever when it comes to ordering at the bar.
The feminisation of drinks products is not an isolated trend within bar and club culture, but rather a subdivision of the growing phenomenon of a more female orientated late night environment. When the opportunities presented by the true ‘pink pound’ in the late ‘90s and early noughties caught up with operators and designers, venues began to ditch masculine aesthetics; colour, comfort and camp slowly crept into clubs and bars. Unsurprisingly this had a profound effect upon the female consumer too.
Women are much better catered for in modern venues, for example the toilets in Birmingham’s The O Bar have a plush seating area and those in Dakota in Cheltenham have hairstraighteners. Why shouldn’t they enjoy the same personalised luxury at the bar?

The first of an annual survey by Sabai Wine Spritzer (carried out by BMRB Omnibus) has confirmed a growing national trend for women to shun hedonism for fashionable modesty, including what they choose to drink throughout the on-trade. The study interviewed 500 women aged between 25-34 years old and revealed that they are more interested in keeping a clear head and staying trim, opting for lower alcohol drinks on a visit to their local. 55% of the women questioned said their drink choice is a social statement and that ordering a wine spritzer at the bar makes them feel more demure and feminine. Rachel Clarke, Sabai Customer Marketing, comments: “By stocking lower alcohol options, such as Sabai spritzer, landlords can attract a young female audience back to the local and ensure their profits soar just as much as the temperature this summer.”

VC2 Brands Dynamic Drinks, the parent company behind the Stiffys vodka brand, has launched the ultra-feminine Paris Rose vodka liqueur, and it is making waves throughout the UK on-trade. The brand was inspired by the link that Mary, Queen of Scots had with Paris, reinforcing a strong, female image that is also reflected in the tall, elegant bottle. Graham Coull, managing director of VC2 Brands, says: “The female market demands feminine drinks and cocktails and with summer approaching along with the long awaited Sex and The City movie, this drink is set to fly off the shelves.” Paris Rose is a blend of strawberries, cream flavours and premium vodka.

Another female-only drinks product, aptly named ‘Girl’, has emerged within the off-trade. The packaging leaves no doubt in the imagination that it is intended for the female sex; the bright pink bottle with white writing is a girly-girl’s consumer dream. The mix of cognac and vodka, lychee and raspberry, was developed by Cyril Necker at ByNecker for women looking for more sophisticated and lower alcohol drinks (25%) that are light on the palate and mix well. “There have always been drinks targeted at women, but we’re increasingly seeing products honing in on a more affluent and discerning female consumer,” says Alex Eyre of on-trade research consultancy CGA Strategy. “Ten years ago, a 25-year-old might have been ordering a Bacardi Breezer, now she’s likely to ask for a Bacardi Oro-based Mojito.”

From: June 2008 Issue

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