I listened to a very interesting segment on BBC Radio 4 today about the phenomenal growth in the sale of out of home cocktails within the UK. Speaking on the You and Yours programme Phil Tate from insight company CGAstated that the sector has seen a growth of 10% in the last year. So what’s behind this?
Well according to the report the sector seems to benefit from current trends such as “experimentation”, “wanting to stand out from your friends”, “image and chasing a dream”.
As a hospitality and retail marketer, I think what interests me specifically about these stats is that it supports my own experience of how the latest shift in the consumer landscape – specifically how being part of the newest and latest best thing – affects choices these consumers make. I haven’t read the report in detail and I am sure if Phil reads this he will put me straight but I suspect this growth is mainly driven by the younger millennial market. And if this is the case you could argue that there may be correlation with the usage of social channels such as Facebook and Instagram, however small it maybe.
I have talked in length before about the “post and boast” era we live in with Instagram in particular leading the field to show off how wonderful life is. There is no doubt that theatrics in food and drinks plays a very important role in grabbing attention. The more unusual, interesting or new will get you some well deserved brownie points masquerading as likes and follows. And I for one am guilty of that one! There is something quite satisfying seeing your phone light up like a Christmas tree with notifications telling you some total stranger has liked your post. But for a retail or hospitality company, this is a good debate to have and a topic I will leave for another blog post.
So to finish I will leave you with this from Phil “we want to drink less but drink better” and on that note I’m off to raid the drinks cupboard. Cheers!