Top 10 Marketing Trends for January

From film marketing campaigns to Lunar New Year celebrations, spirit brands were all over the place in January, looking to start 2024 on the front foot.

Malibu has launched a pink marketing campaign to celebrate the release of its new product. mean girls Meanwhile, Shanky’s Whip begins a three-month partnership with wholesale retail giant Costco, with Scottish producer Gin Bothy managing to snag a spot in gift bags for nominees at the upcoming 96th Academy Awards. Secured.

Additionally, one brand supported the Nascar team, another toasted the Year of the Dragon with a special packaging design, and one completed a project to bring clean and safe water to southern Kenya.

Scroll down to see January’s top 10 marketing activities.

In a marketing wrap-up so far, here’s what brands have been working on in November and December.

Rebel Bourbon, owned by Lux Row Distillers, has partnered with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) as the official bourbon of the NASCAR team.

The partnership will see RCR driver Kyle Busch race in the team’s No. 8 Chevrolet car covered in Rebel Bourbon branding in multiple races during the 2024 and 2025 NASCAR Cup Series seasons. become. The brand’s logo will also appear on Busch’s uniform and helmet.

said Philippe Lax, Rebel Bourbon Brand Manager. We wanted a team that does something unique and embodies the essence of our brand. With Kyle and his RCR team, we have found the perfect partner to bring the spirit and attitude of the Rebel brand to fans who feel the same way. ”

Hermit Dutch Coastal Gin has partnered with Aviworld, a Portuguese wholesale company with a strong network of hospitality businesses in the country.

Siward de Groot, Managing Director of Hermit Gin, said: “This partnership is a strategic move for us and reinforces our commitment to delivering exceptional gin experiences to a wider audience. ” he said.

The brand also announced the appointment of Rafael Silva as its brand ambassador. He plans to work to establish hermit jinns throughout Portugal. De Groot said bartender Silva, who was a finalist in both Portugal’s Martini Grand Prix 2016 and Bacardi Legacy 2018, was “the perfect local brand ambassador to elevate Hermit Dutch Coastal Gin in Portugal”. evaluated.

Actor James Nesbitt has teamed up with Hinch Distillery in Northern Ireland to help promote their whisky.

hobbit The star is also known for her roles in various British television shows. cold feet and murphy’s lawwill be “actively” involved in the distillery’s efforts and help the brand connect with its audience.

Founded in 2019, Hinch Distillery opened a £15 million (US$19 million) factory in County Down in 2021. “We are excited to be partnering with Hinch Distillery,” Mr Nesbitt said. “As a proud Northern Irishman, I have always admired the dedication and craftsmanship that goes into producing Hinch Irish Whiskey and Ninth Wave Irish Gin.”

Pernod Ricard-owned rum Malibu has launched a joint marketing campaign with the recently launched rum. mean girls movie.

Every Wednesday from the film’s official release date, January 17th through February 7th, audience members who attend the movie wearing pink will receive a free instant (RTD) can of Malibu Strawberry Daiquiri. I did. The campaign was inspired by the line “Wear Pink on Wednesdays” from the original movie.

“Malibu Strawberry has never before had such an iconic pop culture combination. This collaboration is more than just a cocktail, it’s a statement,” said Liam Murphy, Brand Director, Pernod Ricard UK.

Irish whiskey and liqueur brand Shanky’s Whip has launched a three-month in-store campaign with wholesale retailer Costco.

The campaign will consist of activity across 28 branches across the UK, highlighting the brand in high-traffic store areas, as well as promoting the newly launched 1.75 liter bottle.

Tim Dunlop, European Commercial Director for Shanky’s Whip, said: “His trial and sampling campaign in late 2023 was a success, and in just a few days he sold over 3,000 bottles at his six depots at Costco. So he thought Shanky’s Whip could appeal to Costco. We’re confident in our customers and UK shoppers across the board. ”

Ukrainian vodka brand Nemirov has entered the Indian market through a partnership with Amistad Spirits.

Nemiroff describes India as a vibrant market, and the move furthers the company’s ambitions to become a top-five premium vodka brand. Based in Delhi, India, Amistad Spirits has a well-established network across the country including Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Leh and Haryana. In India he sells over 100 premium liquor brands.

Mr. Nemiroff praised Amistad’s strong ethics and responsibility, as well as its expertise in the alcoholic beverage sector, along with its connections, making Amistad the ideal distributor for the brand.

Diageo-owned Johnnie Walker has launched a Lunar New Year bottle of Blue Label whisky, featuring artwork designed by visual artist James Jean.

Jean’s designs are inspired by the 2024 zodiac sign, the dragon. His dragons are composed of organic elements and flowers, designed to symbolize connection and roots.

Jean said: “For Johnnie Walker Blue Label Lunar New Year, we wanted to create a different, new and innovative-feeling Dragon, one that honors the past but looks optimistically to the future. It is the same as symbolizing the progress made by the spirit of “keep walking”. ”

These designs are available in selected markets around the world.

Luxco-owned Ross & Squibb Distillery has completed a project to bring clean water to southern Kenya.

The project was launched last summer in partnership with American football player Chris Long Foundation and his Waterboys Initiative. To address water scarcity in the area, a borehole with the capacity to bring 100,000 liters of water to the community daily was dug 80 meters into the ground.

Approximately 1,600 residents live in the Oroyil area, which receives less than 3.5 inches of rainfall annually. Until now, residents had to drink contaminated water from seasonal rivers or obtain water from hand-dug holes.

“Thanks to the generous support of Ross & Squibb Distillery, Waterboys is delivering life-changing clean water to the Oloyil community in Kenya,” said Long.

Scottish producer Gin Bothy is heading to Hollywood after his company’s Gin was selected for the nomination gift bag at the upcoming 96th Academy Awards.

Small batches of Gin Bothy’s gin, distilled in Angus, Scotland, made with Scottish heather and Scottish pine and rosemary, will be available in the Everyone Wins gift bag for Oscar nominees (approximately $125,000). It is said that it will be placed in the It will be held at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on March 10, 2024.

“This is incredible news for us,” said Kim Cameron, founder of Gin Bothy. “We have been given the opportunity to showcase Scottish spirits in our award-winning gin.”

France’s Bardinet has completely redesigned its liqueur and syrup packaging.

This marketing move was made to give the brand a more contemporary feel, while redesigning the label to make the distinction between liqueur and syrup more clear.

Lena Roussek, Bardinet brand manager, said: “Updating our packaging with a more contemporary look puts the spotlight on the exceptional quality and aromatic flavors that have been proudly made in France for nearly 170 years. I’m guessing,” he said.

As part of this rebrand, Bardinet will transfer the production of its liqueur products to a purpose-built facility in the Dijon region, the birthplace of crème de cassis.