Diageo: new look Smirnoff

In an investment exceeding GBP250 million, Diageo [DEO] is taking steps to ensure its Smirnoff brand remains up-to-date. Both the global relaunch of the Smirnoff brand and the most recent ad campaign for Smirnoff Ice demonstrate the importance of continuously updating product offerings and associated marketing tactics.<BR />

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Allied Domecq: freezing out the competition

Allied Domecq's [ALLD.L] popular Stolichnaya premium vodka brand is embarking on an aggressive new marketing campaign. The multi-million dollar "Frozen" promotion targets the young, male consumers most sought after by beer companies. As younger consumers increasingly choose spirits and sweeter drinks over beer, brewers may yet find themselves catching a cold from the likes of Stolichnaya.

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Absolut: high spirits and high potential

Scope for growth in Absolut's core US market is limited - most of this year's US growth was driven by superpremium and flavored variants. It is, however, showing strong growth in the rest of the world. Absolut needs to keep its image fresh in the US to avoid sales decline, while promoting itself more heavily in Europe and Asia.

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Fortune Brands: favoring flavoring

Fortune [FO] has had great success with Absolut in the US, while its Vox superpremium vodka is growing fast. However, the Absolute Apeach and Vox Green Apple line extensions will take off only if their flavors are in line with what cutting-edge vodka drinkers now want. Given both flavors' success elsewhere in the US drinks market, Fortune Brands may well be in luck.

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US spirits market: fashion victim or trendsetter?

Merrill Lynch has warned that the impressive growth in the US spirits market could be founded upon "cyclical", short term movements in demand. Yet such shifts are intrinsic to this image-orientated sector and could be indicative of a wider trend towards consumer experimentation.

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Constellation Brands: searching for a star

Constellation is reportedly looking for acquisition opportunities in the expanding US premium spirits market. It would certainly benefit from such a move, however the available takeover opportunities may be limited: most brands that fit Constellation's portfolio are either family-owned or part of larger groups; and the company's relatively small financial scale might also be a problem.

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Russian Standard: seeking a stateside splash

Russian Standard Company has introduced its Imperia vodka to the profitable US ultra-premium vodka market. Although the product is entering an already crowded market, Russian Standard aims to position the product for success based on its smooth taste and ethnicity.

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Alcoholic drinks: French consumers lose the spirit for vodka

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New drinks review: presentation matters

Innovative packaging is a good way for drinks makers to make their products stand out from the crowd. A flavored vodka drink packaged in a squeezable aluminum tube, and a well-known beer brand overboxed in a new fridge-friendly container are two of the interestingly packaged beverages entering the spotlight in this month's Producstcan Online round-up...

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Vodka set to become tsar of UK spirits market

The UK spirits market continues to stagnate under intense competition from other drinks categories and increased awareness of the health risks associated with excessive drinking. While whisky sales in particular look set to remain sluggish, vodka's versatility and continued appeal to young adults will result in the spirit increasing its market share. Datamonitor's Lee Schneider explains...

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