Craft spirits are growing rapidly and gaining market share, posing a threat to larger, established spirit brands. The number of craft distilleries in the US has increased 48-fold in less than 40 years. Craft brands command higher prices and growth rates by appealing to consumers who seek higher quality, more authentic products. While craft brands still make up a small percentage of the overall market, their influence is already being felt and large brands need to learn from their storytelling and branding approaches to better compete in the crowded spirits market.

1. GET SPIRITS
SMART
Lessons in Craft

2. G E T S P I R I T S S M A R T
Lessons In Craft
When you order a drink at a bar in the US, you are faced with an average of 57 distinct
brands
1
to choose between. The spirits market is mature and highly saturated, and the
picture is similar across the globe.
The market context means that spirit brands have to work to stand out, and achieving
volume growth is increasingly difficult.
Competition in the market has been intensified by the growth of smaller, craft distilleries.
Although craft brands currently make up just 2-3% of the total spirits industry volume
2
,
they are a growing threat. In 2015, there were 48 times the number of distilleries in the US
than there had been less than 40 years previously
3
. Many of these craft spirits brands are
achieving extraordinary growth. The US vodka brand Tito’s Handmade Vodka sold 2.78
million cases in 2014, predicted to reach 3.65 million cases by 2016
4
.
And so despite the proportionally small size of the craft spirits market, spirits brands are
cautious of these new competitors. They are right to be aware – the rate that distilleries
are popping up is very close to where beer was 10-15 years ago, according to Judy Hong,
senior beverage and tobacco equity research analyst, Goldman Sachs. By 2020, 20% of
the total industry volume for beer is predicted to come from craft beer
5
.
The past 20 years have seen the beer market completely
upended by craft; spirits brands now face a similar threat.
As volume growth becomes increasingly difficult, opportunities to drive value are
increasingly important for spirit brands. Here, existing brands have a great opportunity to
learn from craft entrants, with craft brands often commanding a higher price point. If
existing spirits brands can understand the appeal of craft, they will be better placed to
compete in the crowded market.
WHY CRAFT?
The way we drink today arguably creates the perfect environment for craft brands. Many
consumers drink less frequently than they may have done before, meaning that when they
do drink, they search out brands that are a little bit more special or meaningful.
1
Stylus Stylus USBevX 2016: Key Takeaways;
2
Goldman Sachs
3
https://www.brewersassociation.org/statistics/number-of-breweries/
4
//marketwatchmag.com/2016-market-watch-leaders-choice-spirits-brand-of-the-year-titos-handmade-vodka
5
Goldman Sachs

3. G E T S P I R I T S S M A R T
Lessons In Craft
But the craft movement is not just impacting alcohol – from food to furniture, ‘craft’
brands have become increasingly popular. Craft is arguably a reaction to many elements
of our modern world – it takes us back to how things were done in a forgotten age, it’s
stepping away from digitisation and mass production. It’s often an intangible feeling, with
one craft furniture maker describing “a spirit that is embedded in a hand-crafted object
that you can’t replicate with a machine”
6
. Craft is considered to be a more authentic
experience, with the assumption that you always know where you stand with craft brands.
For many, craft is synonymous with quality – 55% of US drinkers think craft brands are
better quality than big brands
7
, and global consumers were particularly likely to select
‘high quality ingredients’ as highly associated with the word ‘craft’ in food and drink
claims
8
.
However, what it is that consumers are truly searching for when they purchase a craft
spirit is hard to define – and many consumers don’t seem to be sure:
A third of UK consumers who buy alcohol admit they find it
hard to define which brands are craft9.
If you take the definition of craft as high quality and an interesting story, a drink for those
who care about what they are consuming, then many existing brands arguably have craft
characteristics. Big brands haven’t got to be as big as they are by being bad quality, or
not meaning anything to consumers, and they have a huge opportunity to be more proud
of their size and heritage. The key to competing with craft is communicating this in a
compelling way.
HOW DO CRAFT BRANDS COMMUNICATE?
One craft spirits brand that has had standout success is Tito’s Homemade Vodka. The
brand has retained its craft characteristics, despite it’s size meaning that the vodka is no
longer ‘handmade’. Tito’s proves that craft doesn’t have to mean small. It’s well-
maintained backstory and identifiable main character give it an edge over many larger
spirits brands - Texas native Bert Butler “Tito” Beveridge founded the distillery in Austin,
Texas, in 1997. The brand plays on its strong US roots, and its heritage is supported by a
bottle and brown-paper label which haven’t changed much since the brand was launched.
6
http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/articles/speakers-corner-the-future-of-craft/
7
Mintel 2016
8
Canadean Q3 2016, 26891 global consumers
9
Mintel 2016

4. G E T S P I R I T S S M A R T
Lessons In Craft
Tito’s advertising is minimal and mainly centered around festival sponsorship, with the
brands website asking consumers to spread the message through word of mouth.
THE ROLE FOR BRANDS AND COMMS
Spirits brands can learn a great deal from the growth of craft, and branding and
storytelling have arguably never been more important in the spirits category. Spirits
brands need to tell an authentic story and promote their quality credentials. For many
drinkers, their choice of spirit is a statement about who they are, and spirits brands need
to get people engaged enough in their brand for consumers to spread the word so that
when people are seeking that special, meaningful tipple, your brand is top of mind.
If you are interested in learning more about the subject of this article, please contact
Sarah Emmerson, Insights Planner, emmerson@bbdoknows.com
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