After losing my shit over twitter yesterday at one, yes one of the many whisky companies using social media to market their wares I received many comments as well as many retweets at how frustrating it is to watch the marketers totally overlook the real women of whisky! By the way, that is a real ad, google whisky woman and that's what appears!? Sigh...
So what is a real whisky woman: She is educated. A recent pole I did showed that on average she is a university graduate who is about 35-55 years old AND the kicker: She spends (that's disposable income, Mr. & Mrs. Marketing person) about $200 month on whisky. Yes, almost $2500/year on whisky. So... why? Why is this demographic not tapped into? Why are marketing people not "getting" that?
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| Hi, like I'm Jessie!? |
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| GENTLEMEN, DRINK EM IF YOU GOT EM |
It appears to me that the marketing scheme for most of the these brands is men = aged, smart, dashing and sophisticated. Women = Sexualized to lure men or "booth bunnies".
But hell what do I know, I'm not in marketing?
This came to mind last night as I made supper and sipped at a whisky. It's a bit of a take on the I am canadian rant...
- Hey, I'm not a vodka, rum or wine drinker... And I don’t drink vanilla, honey or cherry
flavored liquors, BUT I’m certain all those girls are really
nice.
- I use a Glencairn, rocks or Copita glass... And yes sometimes I do like it with water or even ice, BUT if I ask for it neat I expect you’ll know what that means.
- I will articulate what I detect when I am nosing & tasting... AND I can tell the difference between an Islay and a bourbon BUT I believe there is no such thing as a feminine whisky.
- I go to shows and events for the sheer pleasure
of enjoying the whisky... And I really don’t need your help picking
something out at the bar BUT I might I ask for your recommendation.
- I am your mom, daughter, sister or friend... AND I am young, old, wise, classy and very intelligent BUT I assure you I know whisky because:
I am a real
whisky woman
Ok, I got that out of my system... So, my next idea: Let's make a video about that little rant, shall we? Can you say "viral" :)
The real Canadian Whisky Lassie,
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| Courtesy of : It's just the booze dancing - Angelo |
That was NEAT, and I know that you know what that means.
ReplyDelete-Bob C
I should take another photo of "aunties".... REAL WOMEN!!! neat indeed. hehe
DeleteIf you want to put together a Real Women Drink Real Whisky video, I'm sure I could persuade Jory to record the Aunts sipping their favorite drams. Hey, they've done crazier videos for him. Put out the call to all your real whisky drinking women and edit them all together.
Delete-Bob C
I think I am...! What I'd really like if you can talk them into it video taping several parts of that little "rant poem" up there. So as an example, shoot video of them sitting at the table: Dot says into the camera in a very stern voice: But I assure you I know whisky. And then Cis says in a really serious voice: I am a real whisky woman and they both sip, pose and drink their whisky... Be creative, pick any of the those and do whatever you like. I'd love to have them in the "mash", that's for sure!!!! My lovely grand dames ride again, hehe
DeleteThe Aunts are up for it and Jory said he'd shoot it. He's in Chicago right now but maybe next weekend.
DeleteThumbs up! The whisky world needs more women!
ReplyDeleteAgreed and I truly feel that if marketing showed what REAL whisky women look like you would see a huge jump in the demographics! It's coming, I know it... :)
DeleteWe can't afford marketing "expertise" and have to rely on our own experience interacting with customers. We have found that our best customers are, as you suggest, educated, between 35-55, and have disposable income that they spend to enjoy good whisky. And you know what? This applies to men AND women. We simply don't think about the sex of our customer, but stick to the real target demographic, as you have so accurately described.
ReplyDeleteB&B
Still Waters Distillery
I couldn't agree more which is why marketing should simply have "people" from all age demographics. Men, women old and young enjoying a whisky. Plain and simple. Thank you!
DeleteWhisky marketing is so full of bull shit in general, why should it differ when it includes or target women?
ReplyDeleteSome of it is, I agree so why not be the first who doesn't? Am I too believe that the only men that like drinking whisky wear ascots, blazers and like to lear at a woman in a low cut dress. Or that only young & cute frat girls drink? Come on... this is the 21st century, someone out there must want to do better? Whatever company is the first to market to smart, older women is going to make a fortune on their products! BRAND LOYALTY...
ReplyDeleteAnd targeting flavoured whisky at 20-something women in the hopes of catching a tiny bit of the market share now, as opposed to targeting women who enjoy whisky in its purer form and aren't likely to switch (a stable market) is nothing compared to how some companies use women to advertise whisky to their male target demographic...take the whole G-Spirits issue last year, as an example: http://www.gspirits.com/en/about-us (and this link is NSFW...it could also be seen as somewhat offensive...).
ReplyDeleteI think David Driscoll did a pretty good job looking at the JW marketing campaign that used Christina Hendricks in order to latch onto the Mad Men band-wagon (which is here: http://spiritsjournal.klwines.com/klwinescom-spirits-blog/2013/5/20/mad-man-walker.html).
Well said... thanks for sharing the links Dan.
DeleteHow can I become a Whisky Woman too? I wanna join the club! Also, when I Google Image "whisky woman" I get a lot of Christina Hendricks, weird "sexy" whisky ads, Allison Patel and passed out drunk girls. None of what I'm writing is relevant in any way.
ReplyDeleteWell at least I can rely on your expert opinion on writing irrelevant stuff Tom, hehehe.... Thanks... I think... :)
DeleteBrilliant post. I entirely agree. I'm almost exactly central in your suggested age demographic and I can't stand liquours. My husband does't like whisky, so I buy the what I like, which happen to be peated, smokey ones. When I tell people I'm a member of Stroud Whiskey Club, many people seem surprised that a women would drink it! Over here, in the UK, whisky gets promoted as a gift for Father's Day, but not for Mother's Day! I'd be thrilled if my son bought me a good single malt as a gift.
ReplyDeleteWe will keep fighting the good fight and promoting whisky as a drink for anyone.
Amen whisky sister! Now, are you in for the video! :)
DeleteWell said Johanne. What always surprises me is how these things still don't change as much as they should over the decades. There are some ads I've seen from the 1970s that make me laugh for how 'outdated' they are, before I remember that a lot of this stuff still goes on. What I will say though is that us ladies can sometimes be our own worst judges, as always, and often find more often that it is women that are surprised that I drink such a 'male' drink as whisky. So I think attitudes need to change across the board. And, yes, video indeed ;)
ReplyDelete