With demand for cocktails-at-home showing no signs of slowing down despite the current tough economic times, Pernod Ricard has announced the launch of a new YouTube channel to inspire consumers and drive cocktail ingredient sales.
Launching in November in time for the key Christmas trading period and packed with bitesize content that can be easily followed at home, the channel will feature fun, festive tutorials of how to create the most-searched winter cocktails including an Absolut and Kahlúa Espresso Martini and The Glenlivet Hot Toddy.
Branded social media content will also be available to retailers for use on their own social media channels to educate and inspire shoppers before they are in-store.
The launch will come, of course, just as everyone is gearing up for an unprecedented winter World Cup that just under half of shoppers think will affect their usual Christmas behaviour, with 45% interested in watching the tournament with friends and family.
To this end, Pernod’s Jameson brand has put together a ‘Dream Team’ of football fans’ personalities and brought these to life through a new limited-edition bottle range which launches this month. Each of the five bottles within the range features a unique football shirt. The launch will be supported by a £1m media campaign across digital, social, PR and in-store.
Moving from whiskey to rum, Havana Club 7-Year-Old is getting a festive makeover, with a new black and gold limited-edition bottle which features a metallic screen-printed finish.
Despite the financial squeeze, Chris Shead, Off-Trade Channel Director for Pernod Ricard UK, remains optimistic about Christmas.
He said: “We have the right portfolio of premium spirits for cocktails and gifting, as well as perfect range of premium+ wine anyone would be happy to gift on Christmas day or take to a festive celebration.”
Predicting some trade-down in the off-trade, Shead said that wine and spirits is an area where people traditionally spend more to treat themselves or others.
“People will also trade up when staying in to make the occasion more special,” he explained.
