Eyebrows were raised this week as Diageo announced the launch of a new vodka in the US, seemingly in competition with its market-leading Smirnoff brand.
However, a closer look at the product and its positioning suggests the company is cleverly seeking a way to claw back volumes lost to cheaper brands in recent years.
Ursus Vodka – a line of brightly-coloured, flavoured vodkas – was launched this week. The name is Latin for “bear” and the vodka is triple distilled and comes in Original, Blue Raspberry, Green Apple and Punch varieties.
Despite Smirnoff’s dominance of the category in general, Diageo has nevertheless noticed that recent newcomers to the sector, such as Glen’s and the lower-abv Vodkat, have been stealing away consumers who are perhaps looking to part with slightly less cash for their vodkas.
Asda promotes long drinks in Diageo tie-up
UK supermarket Asda has teamed up with Diageo and Coca-Cola to promote the consumption of long drinks over the summer season.
The aim of the campaign is to promote longer serves as opposed to shorter drinks, as well as upholding responsible drinking practices during a time of year where increased numbers of younger people are consuming alcohol.
Asda’s collaborative partnership with the two companies will allow customers to purchase a bottle of soft drink from the Schweppes mixers range, such as Coca-Cola and Schweppes tonic, plus any spirit from the Diageo range including Smirnoff vodka and Morgan’s Spiced rum, for £11.
This is the first time that Asda’s Beers, Wines and Spirits category has implemented such a promotion with two drinks companies.
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Diageo cold as Ice over new US drinking craze
There’s a fresh marketing craze sweeping the drinks world, only this time the brand owners themselves have no control over who sees it or what’s involved.
Diageo, the most obvious beneficiaries, are quick to distance themselves from having anything to do with it, yet its rapid rise in the US over the past month would have any sales and marketing department patting themselves heartily on the back and putting together the case for their pay-rises to take to the boss.Its name is ‘Icing’, and it has well and truly blurred the line between advertising, popular culture and the encouragement of binge drinking. It also puts the world’s biggest drinks company in a very difficult, if slightly enviable position.
The premise behind Icing is simple enough. One guy hands his friend a bottle of Smirnoff Ice and they have to drink it while down on one knee, unless the recipient is also carrying a bottle himself, in which case the original attacker must down both bottles of what participants think to be a “pretty terrible drink”, according to the New York Times.
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