Back
I’m noticing a trend: cocktail manufacturers are targeting men.
Case in point: Stoli. Interestingly, their research showed that while nearly three of four millennial men liked flavored cocktails, the vast majority 63% claimed that they avoid them in public because they were anxious about what their friends would say.
Nearly half of millennial men said that there was a negative stigma associated with men drinking flavored cocktails because they are seen as a drink for women.
Millennials are more insecure about this than older generations: 41% of millennial men think that their drink of choice is a reflection of their masculinity compared to 32% of Gen Xers and only 15% of boomers.
Stoli chose to tackle the issue head-on with a cheeky new ad campaign focusing on their flavored vodka and easy-to-order cocktails.
Others have sought to overcome this perception hurdle by bringing the cocktail experience home. At Food Loves Tech, one of the featured gadgets was Bartesian’s home cocktail maker. Currently in pre-sales mode and seeking funding via a Kickstarter campaign, it takes the public cocktail experience into the home.
What does this mean for spirits marketers (and the vast array of complementary products that fuel the industry)? The market is primed for products that empower men to redefine masculinity in the cocktail sphere. Brands that find a way to reconcile the gap between the preference for fruity cocktails and perceived barriers to consumption and demonstrate a means to comfortably and confidently enjoy them (in public or in more intimate settings) will pave a path for growth.