Gin and tone of messaging
The food and beverage industry took a bit hit during the pandemic. According to recent studies, with bars and restaurants closed, 27% of spirit sales were affected. In addition, restrictions placed on people's movements and gatherings created an unprecedented situation for the alcohol industry. With availability and supply restricted and the social context of alcohol changed, marketers had to adapt their techniques and mediums in response.
One strategy used by the industry was switching to digital marketing, focusing on TV, streaming platforms, social media, and gaming advertising. The other significant change was positioning alcohol as an essential item by pushing online sales and delivery services. The pandemic also provided an opportunity for alcohol brands to do CSR initiatives like converting part of manufacturing to solve hand sanitizer shortages or raise money for bartenders who lost their jobs. This reinforced positive brand image and loyalty among consumers.
Marketing the Bombay
Bombay Sapphire was not new to creative digital marketing. The gin maker has previously emphasized its messaging around experimentation and self-expression through interactive pop-ups and an annual "Most Imaginative Bartender (MIB)" competition that challenges mixologists to craft inventive cocktails.
Another example is the #FindYourCanvas installation consisting of a blank canvas painted in real-time by robot arms controlled by visitors to a website.
So, when the pandemic forced a lot of marketing to shift online, the brand exercised its creative muscle. Bombay Sapphire collaborated with the Design Museum in London, which reported a 97% loss of income during the worst of Covid. Together they decided to create an art exhibition, still complying with regulations– going to the shops — by creating a shoppable art exhibition in the form of a supermarket.
"We worked with 10 up-and-coming designers who helped us design everyday items, from coffee, to Bombay Sapphire and tonic, to bananas," explains Natasha Curtin, global vice-president of Bombay Sapphire. "We knew that not everyone would be comfortable with coming in person, so we created a virtual shop for people to buy the items online, and those sold out within two days. It gave us some great learnings, as in old times we would have had absolutely everything planned out, but here we only had 10 weeks, so we had to be agile."
Another recently launched campaign aims to create recall by terming it "Bombay and Tonic". At the heart of the campaign is the notion that a 'BOMBAY & Tonic' is an altogether different drink than a traditional G & T.
The ‘Senses Stirred’ film was directed by Alan Masferrer (BMW and Moncler fame) and shows viewers that the perfect gin and tonic goes far beyond being a cocktail — it is an experience for the senses. All five senses are awakened throughout the narrative, manifesting the bright, fresh, botanical flavor profile of the Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin, combined with premium tonic water. The campaign consists of 30-second, 15-second, and 6-second films, the shorter cuts designed for digital and social platforms. This campaign taps into the growing interest in the classic G&T cocktail in the US.
Science of Sapphire
With so much of the world focused on the science behind COVID and ways to stop it, who better to loop into the conversation: enter Bill Nye the Science Guy. Nye, known for his wacky experiments that have made their way from the ’90s educational series for kids, Bill Nye The Science Guy, to the trendy social media platform, has turned to Bombay Sapphire’s canned gin and tonic for his latest observations.
DIY cocktails, anyone?
From people making bread at homes while cooped up, Bombay has launched a platform for those budding, at-home bartenders. They created a series of online classes, workshops, and cocktail-making sessions in “a multi-platform learning experience” called Create-From-Home in partnership with several other online brands to inspire at-home learning as coronavirus-sparked restrictions kept people home. People were invited to check out the tutorials, share their results with the world, and help bridge the gap through imagination, exploration, and invention.
And for those who want to take the easy route, there is always the pre-mixed. Just add ice.
Gin and Digital
Gin is on the upswing and one of the fastest-growing spirit categories, and digital will continue to be a major marketing medium, although with the world opening up, at least in parts, in-person events will start to make a comeback. As per Bombay Sapphire brand director Tom Spaven, the Bacardi-owned brand takes a disciplined approach to marketing. Though events are hallmarks of spirits brands, Bombay Sapphire marries its events with digital advertising. Content from an event is distributed online or on social media, extending the impact of an event, which may be a search for the best bartender or an art fair. They also have shoppable social ads going out through Facebook and Instagram to get Bombay Sapphire home delivered from the nearest e-commerce partner.
In closing, marketing strategies adopted by Bombay Sapphire, and its industry peers, seem like they are here to stay. With digital consumption on the rise and becoming predominant, one can only assume that brands will continue to communicate digitally while engaging physically in more limited but creative and impactful ways. The best will know how to combine digital and physical to force multiply.
