Change Comes Slowly For Alcohol Brands

Large and small alcohol brands are pursuing a similar marketing strategy of emphasizing brand history or craftsmanship in an attempt to appeal to consumers' increasing desire for authenticity, and are taking steps to "modernize" this highly regulated industry through new products and innovations.

As the "craft" boom continues in the United States, alcohol brands are looking to distinguish themselves by increasingly focusing on their "story." The challenge from a marketing perspective, is how to do this without violating federal and state regulations that restrict a brand's ability to message certain aspects of its origin or product qualities.

For large brands that may not currently have a craft product to highlight, the recent trend has been for them to create a new product more suitable for an "artisan" marketing strategy. In recent years, suppliers have been tripping over themselves to introduce new products and categories of adult beverages, such as uniquely