REFRAMING THE WHISKY CONVERSATION

It can be hard to find new opportunities for our brands because consciously or unconsciously we are looking inward and examining our relationship with others in the category; that could be our distinct flavour profile, the provenance of our product versus another, or the way we get you from A to B.

But looking inward at our established category codes can lead to small, incremental differences for our brand which may be insufficient in the long run towards our business objectives, ambitions, or the smaller budgets which we may have available.

We must constantly look outward to draw inspiration, ideas for sources of opportunity from all different types of categories around us. Especially if we are to break out from some of the category codes which are at best holding us back, at worse strangling creativity and killing our ability to command attention.

Whisky, is one of the categories that throws up some questionable patterns in its content marketing. Here are six whisky brands pulled together. On initial inspection they all appear to be mimicking each other and we must ask how are they competing for your attention if it all looks the same?

We know the system demands rules around our brands but with repetitiveness, you run the risk of zoning people. In order to succeed we must create positive memory associations for our brands. We must deliver variety, be distinctive, inventive and playful in the way we approach our work.

Grants is a great example of traditional whisky brand breaking the mould in the category.