Did you shake it or stir it?4 Fresh Trends to Mix Your Spirits Marketing Experience

As interest in exploration continues to grow, consumers are becoming more discerning than ever about what they want and need from brands. Bacardi Limited’s 2024 Cocktail Trends Report, produced in collaboration with The Future Laboratory, confirms this. Explore the key trends that will redefine cocktail culture and the spirits business in 2024, but these trends will extend beyond the beverage sector and challenge marketers across all industries to recalibrate their efforts around the moments and experiences that matter. give you the opportunity to.

“As the era of human-driven cocktail culture unfolds, drinks brands will foster a world of endless innovation, experimentation and improvement,” said Martin Raymond, co-founder of The Future Laboratory. says. “By centering social connections, togetherness and ultimately experiences, the industry has an opportunity to set an example for the wider context and recalibrate and refocus us all on what matters most. It is given.”

1. Taste enhanced by technology

Just as AI has permeated nearly every industry, the digital world is at the forefront of changing what, where and how we drink, offering new routes to personalization, brand experiences and community. With new expectations for personalization across brand interactions, AI offers new possibilities for optimized cocktail moments anytime, anywhere.

Eight in 10 young consumers will consider AI drink recommendations in 2024, while 60% say they will miss human touch and connection. For the beverage industry, advances in AI create new avenues for experimentation and discovery, and brand innovators use technology as a tool to bring consumers closer to branded cocktails and experiences. For example, BarGPT is an AI cocktail generation platform with approximately 14,000 user-generated recipes to date, allowing users to input ingredients, spirits, and themes to create their own virtual cocktails and recipes.

Going forward, we will leverage emerging technologies to create more intelligent, immersive and personalized consumer journeys that meet the unique needs of drinkers in digital spaces, real life, and everywhere in between. We also plan to reinvent beverage commerce by creating deeper connections with consumers through a streamlined digital platform that understands their needs.

2. Limited alcohol

In tough economic times, the next generation of drinkers are living by the motto “less is more,” setting the stage for a new era of premiumization across major spirits and no-alcohol and low-alcohol (NoLo) categories. and is expected to grow by 67%. According to Mintel, it will reach $359 million by 2026. Far outpacing traditional alcohol sales volume growth, NoLo Moments’ influence continues to drive innovation, delivering quality products that support inclusive experiences and become synonymous with choice, quality, and flavor. It will be.

The Bacardi Global Consumer Survey found that 7 out of 10 respondents said they would pay more for a quality spirit when choosing a drink, with tequila unanimously ranked number one in the global premium category. is ranked. This focus on quality over quantity presents an important opportunity for brands to reposition the cocktail moment as a gateway to experience and discovery beyond the drink in hand.

“People’s desire to get the most out of life is reflected in our selection of limited edition cocktails for once-in-a-lifetime experiences,” said Brenda Fiala, Global Vice President of Strategy, Insights and Analytics at Bacardi. talk. “They’re willing to pay more for something special, but once they get the best, it’s hard to go back to the ordinary.”

3. Sustainable drinks

Screen fatigue, destructive scrolling, and heightened global uncertainty are causing consumers to reshape their relationship with the natural world. As sustainability becomes non-negotiable, outdoor recreational pursuits are making a comeback for the next generation. This is why beverage brands are changing their relationship with the environment through new sustainable ingredients and eco-innovations.

According to IWSR research, 48% of U.S. drinkers consider a company’s sustainability and environmental efforts before making a purchase, and are happy for sustainably made drinks and cocktails. He says he will pay more. According to Bacardi’s global consumer research, the top three sustainability priorities are reducing single-use plastics (52%), recyclable packaging (42%) and supporting clean water conservation (38%).

But all of this will require more collaboration, says Magalie Feliciano Lozada, Bacardi’s global sustainability director. “Acting responsibly means not acting alone. Only by working together, from farmers to blenders to bartenders, can we make real change.”

4. Destination drinks

Travel isn’t just back on the agenda, it’s at the top of the list, with consumers flocking to destinations en masse to make up for lost time. The beverage world of 2024 will see a deeper connection between beverages and travel destinations as consumers seek nostalgic and cheerful moments. Where and when consumers enjoy drinks is changing, with non-traditional venues such as festivals on the rise.

Thanks to the “Barbie effect”, pop culture and entertainment continues to lend its style and aesthetic to food and drink, leading to the evolution of color and atmosphere-themed services. This reinvention of visual appeal is the number one reason consumers take photos of their drinks. Pop culture-themed serves are expected to become mainstream in 2024, with drink-themed aesthetics like Tomato Girl and Martini Girl inspiring trending flavors within and outside the drinks industry.

“Entertainment is regaining its powerhouse status,” Raymond explains. “With audiences so eager to participate in real-life and related activities, brands are able to unite consumers around specific moods and emotions, creating dedicated communities and loyal fans in the process.” is creating.”

The trends highlighted in the report show that forward-looking brands looking to make new forays into discovery will continue to innovate, upgrade, and upgrade in 2024 to ensure that individuals always make the choices that are right for them amidst all the changes. , it is clear that reinvention will be adopted. . With a focus on experimentation and experience, brands and marketers across all sectors have the opportunity to take consumers to unexpected destinations and create emotions and moments that last beyond the service. can.

To find out all this and more, download the Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report 2024 here.