Small Distilleries Can Stand Out With These Marketing Tips
2023 is proving to be a comeback year for premium spirits—but that only matters if your label can grab the attention of consumers. Here’s how small brands can stand out in a big market.
After a rocky few years and in spite of ongoing inflation woes, the spirits industry is mounting a monumental comeback.
In an industry first, US spirits overtook beer in 2022, garnering 42.1% vs. 41.9% of the alcohol market share.
Craft spirits are predicted to grow at more than double the rate of traditional spirits, averaging 10.51% from 2023 - 2028 compared to a modest 4% for standard liquor.
Europe is the fastest growing market for craft spirits, where the category is expected to see an impressive 21.95% CAGR.
The bad news? As more brands expand their premium product lines and new distilleries enter the market, standing out will become even harder for smaller spirits labels—but not impossible. Here are a few ways your distillery can grab the attention it deserves.
Mix n’ Mingle Marketing
Marketing spirits well has long meant creating the connection between the product and positive social experiences. Alcohol brands have done this for decades: first via print ads and billboards, then TV commercials and social media.
But smaller labels with limited budgets need to ensure every cent of marketing expenditure targets audiences efficiently. Sometimes that means concentrating your focus on a smaller section of your market. And few methods do this better than connecting with it face to face.
Local Festivals
There’s something about celebrating outside with hundreds of people that makes us reach for a drink. Smart brands know this—and use it as an opportunity to raise brand awareness.
According to recent research conducted by CGA, music festivals hold invaluable potential as a venue for spirits brand discovery.
More than 60% of respondents between the ages of 21 and 34 said they were planning on attending a festival that year.
⅓ of festival goers were likely to sample a new brand at a festival and then order it in a restaurant or bar.
1/2 of those surveyed said they typically drink more at music festivals than they typically do at restaurants or bars.
How to stand out as a small distillery
Festivals are fun…but loud and crowded. Great for wider exposure, not ideal for meaningful connections. Small distilleries can make a lasting impression on prospects after the event with product-related freebies such as keychain bottle openers or stubby holders.
Trade Fairs
Connecting with customers is vital for small brands. But the end goal to these encounters is sales.
Will those who discover your brand be able to find and purchase your product easily?
For this reason, forging meaningful connections between stockists and distributors is just as—if not—more crucial for smaller spirits brands. Trade fairs and expos present unmatched opportunities for this to happen. Consider the unique benefits these events offer your brand:
Introducing your label to ‘warm’ prospects. Your audience is already interested in your product—simply demonstrate its superiority to competitors.
Giving contacts the opportunity to sample your product with minimal cost of resources to your business.
Scoping out the competition. Getting a good look at their strategies, methods, and connections can show you what to imitate—and how to distinguish your brand.
How to stand out as a small distillery
Yes, storytelling is crucial. But suppliers are only interested in your label if they can ultimately sell it to their customers. Present each aspect of your brand identity by the type of consumer it appeals to. Close positive encounters with an invitation for a free tour and tasting at your premises.
Promotions & Pop-ups
Nothing inspires consumers to love your brand more than actually trying it—for free. In fact, 78% of people are more inclined to buy a product after sampling it.
Small distilleries can make a big impact by teaming up with other brands or venues for live promotions. Here are a few tips to ensure you make the right impression.
By trying to appeal to everyone, your brand will fail to attract its true market. Use a specific segment of your audience as a guide for potential brands/venues to partner with.
Make it fun! Photo ops, games, and live interviews draw crowds and set the mood.
Choosing a theme for your popup will pique passerby’s curiosity and simplify planning. Customise cocktail options and design elements accordingly for maximum impact.
How to stand out as a small distillery
Consider partnering up with another local brand to create a signature cocktail and donate a portion of proceeds towards a local cause.
Immerse Your Brand in Social Media—The Right Way
Today simply being on social media is not enough for spirits brands. They must appeal to the right audience and engage with it the right way—without looking as if they’re trying.
So how can your distillery create a digital presence that attracts followers while staying true to its brand image? Here are a few things to aim for.
Crafting The Right Image
Different platforms have varying policies regarding the promotion of alcohol. Make sure to check with current laws before you begin posting content. One common denominator across all social media networks is the prohibition of direct sales on the platform.
Your main social media goal should be awareness rather than sales. Practically speaking, this means introducing followers to your brand and inviting them to learn more about you.
Connect through storytelling. Create posts centred around the lifestyle your label aligns with. Easy-going? Sophisticated? Risk-taking? Using imagery based on your targeted drinker rather than your product makes it easier for your audience to see themselves as potential customers.
Showcase quality through education. By putting your ingredients and process in the spotlight, you highlight the premium nature of your products without looking as if you’re trying.
Lean into your locale. Distillery products share a strong bond with the land that produces them. Promoting your location can generate further curiosity about your product and help your brand get discovered and gain followers outside its traditional market.
Getting The Conversation Going
Creating an image that attracts followers is essential…but then what? How can you turn interest into engagement—and eventually sales?
Hashtags
Using accurate hashtags is an easy way to encourage brand discovery and allow followers to share your label with their audiences. For example, a search for ‘cocktails’ on Tiktok brings up over 1.9 billion hashtags.
Along with general titles like ‘whiskey’ or ‘gin’, consider using hashtags based on your location, seasonal sayings, or your brand’s tagline to
Contests/giveaways
While brands are prohibited from selling or giving away alcohol directly on social media platforms, your distillery can still hold contests for tours of your premises and other non-alcoholic gifts. Generate more engagement with:
‘Tag a friend’ & share’ post for users to be entered into contests
User generated content (UGC) such as a photo competition featuring images of your distillery, location, or causes your business supports.
Events
Social media is the prime place for getting the word out about events your distillery is hosting or attending. You can do this by:
Creating an event you are hosting
Sharing an event you are attending
Publishing posts mentioning the event
Holding contests featuring free tickets to events
Position Your Brand For Sales With Packaging
Introducing your brand directly to consumers and suppliers, and maintaining that connection through social media is vital for any small distillery.
But it is only a small component of successful spirits marketing. Why? Because 75% of alcohol purchase decisions are made at the point of sale.
In other words, despite brands’ marketing efforts, most consumers are still undecided about which product they will ultimately purchase by the time they enter a liquor store or stockist. This is where packaging comes in.
David Schuemann, Owner & Creative Director of CF Napa Brand Design shares valuable insight into why packaging—not advertising—that does the heavy lifting for spirits brands:
“Advertising relies heavily on repetition in order to build consumer awareness. Packaging has the unique ability, even on the first impression, to influence purchase at the time of purchase.”
Packaging matters. But how can small labels use theirs to stand out on overcrowded shelves in an oversaturated market?
Design That Drives Decisions
By the time most prospective buyers start browsing to purchase, smaller distilleries are already playing catch-up to the recognisable design elements of more well-known brands.
Here are the top visual components to focus on for packaging that grabs instant attention:
Colour
Across industries, over 92% of consumers claim colour is the top influencing factor in purchase decisions. Small distilleries should consider the following when incorporating it into their packaging design.
Flavour. Some flavour-colour relationships are obvious: orange=orange, yellow=lemon, pink=grapefruit etc. However, for the majority of unflavoured distillery products, the connection between taste and packaging hues is subtler. For example, lighter colours may represent milder blends, while dark shades suggest increased alcohol volume or premiumisation.
Cultural significance. Spirits brands are tightly connected to the land that produces them. To consumers, this bond suggests premium ingredients and authentic production practices, which ultimately communicates quality. Using culturally relevant tones (discreetly) can enhance the uniqueness and novelty of your product.
Consumer profile. Bright colours are known for helping with shelf differentiation—but if that doesn’t jive with your buyer persona, they can get your product noticed for all the wrong reasons.
When choosing packaging hues, design with your consumer profile in mind. Do they drink to unwind, to have fun, to enjoy the finer things in life? The answer should act as a guide when choosing your packaging palette.
Shape
Shape is one of the most commonly overlooked design elements in spirits packaging—an oversight that could be costing brands. According to a recent study on the impact of alcohol packaging on younger consumers, package structure rivalled colour in its ability to help products stand out on the shelf.
Here are a few things to consider regarding the shape of your distillery packaging.
There’s a reason rectangular shapes are the most common: they offer more room and wrapping capability for labelling.
Rounded shapes typically fit better in the hand and facilitate pouring, making them preferred by bartenders.
Longer bottlenecks mean better pouring accuracy, another important factor when considering commercial sales.
Texture
It’s not the first thing you think of in terms of design elements, but texture can act as an effective method of getting your products off the shelf and into consumers’ hands.
For small distilleries, a variety in textures has the added appeal of suggesting quality without trying too hard. Here are a few techniques that can go a long way in catching consumers’ attention.
Foil stamping
Commonly seen in primary spirits packaging, foil stamping gets brand noticed and injects a hit of luxury into labels, brand seals, and closures.
Die cuts
This method of punching holes into the packaging surface gives the finished product a 3D effect.
Embossing and debossing
Embossing creates a raised surface while debossing produces a depressed design, imprinted into the surface. Packaging often uses one or both of these methods with a combination of matte and glossy finishes to enhance the contrast effect.
Spirits packaging will often use this method on product labels in seals, dates, or brand names.
Presentation Is Everything
Distillery product packaging is crucial to catching consumer attention. But if tweaking a few design elements can help move your product off the shelves, imagine the impression dozens of units of your product would make on shopgoers.
Here are a few ways to present your distillery products effectively.
Product displays
We’ve all picked up a product we weren’t intending to after seeing it on a promotional display. Whether due to a discount, convenience, or simply because it caught our attention, product displays are proven methods for selling more.
However, small distilleries need to consider how their products differ from most when choosing a display.
Keep it small. Yes, you want to capture attention. But a massive amount of product units gives off an overly commercialised vibe that detracts from your spirits’ unique selling point: quality.
Get creative. Items relevant to your product can be far more memorable than printed display holders. Wooden crates lined with wood wool and barrels are just a few options that will help your label stand out authentically.
Partner up. Brand collaborations aren’t only for live events. Reach out to local brands who may be interested in a dual promotion. Start small with stockists you know well and work up to larger suppliers.
Your Brand Deserves Award-Winning Spirits Packaging
Producing premium spirits products costs precious time and money—don’t let your efforts go to waste with ineffective packaging. Choose award-winning spirits packaging designed specifically for your brand and your market.
Grab The Attention Your Brand Needs To Start Selling More
Without effective packaging, all your marketing efforts fall flat. CoLab creates the image your brand needs to get noticed where it counts—at the point of sale.
No Minimum Quantities, Zero Wasted Expenditure
Save time and money by printing multiple designs in a single run, without committing to minimum quantities beyond your needs.
Eco-friendly Packaging That Loves Your Budget
Going green does not mean going broke. Take advantage of the latest sustainable materials and production techniques tailored to your market and budget.
Sell Your Spirits Better With Packaging From CoLab.
Reach out at hello@colabpackaging.com