From bar to brand: How to unlock bartender engagement  

The power of bartenders in spirits and cocktails

NIQ’s survey of leading bartenders found 42% of those based in Britain recommend a specific spirits brand or serve on multiple occasions every shift—11 percentage points more than the global average of 31%. Meanwhile, nearly three in five (58%) British bartenders recommend cocktails on every shift—comfortably above the global average of 52%.  
 
This over-indexing highlights a strong advocacy culture and suggests British bar professionals are more confident than their global counterparts about endorsing spirits brands. For suppliers and manufacturers, it emphasises the impact that good marketing and team engagement strategies can make to guests’ brand trial and loyalty. Because bartenders are significantly more likely to push premium and craft spirits, outreach work is particularly important for more expensive spirits brands in signature serves and classic cocktails. 
 
Consumer research for the Global Bartender Report emphasises the value of this advice. Globally, just over half (52%) of consumers agree they are likely to purchase a drink based on a bartender’s recommendation.

Shine in Wine 

While spirits and cocktails are the most common categories for recommendations, bartenders can also impact wine choices. More than a quarter (27%) of those in Britain say they recommend a specific wine on every shift—8 percentage points more than the global average. This points to untapped potential for wine and fortified wine brands to be part of bartender advocacy programs that have traditionally been focused on spirits.

Engagement beyond the back bar

Britain’s bartenders value support from the brands they sell. Interest in training activities is 20 percentage points above the worldwide average, so bartenders are clearly eager to improve their craft and knowledge. They also over-index for interest in things like exclusive serves and experiential activations, which can help venues stand out from the competition and elevate their guests’ experiences. Engagement has a direct correlation to listings, because nearly nine in ten (88%) British bartenders say they are likely to advocate for a brand’s inclusion in offerings if they have a positive impression of it. 

All this underscores the need for category teams to prioritise spirits and wine portfolios for activations, focusing on premiumisation and differentiation in highly competitive categories. Marketing teams need to align their marketing with bartender-led storytelling, creating assets that make it easy for teams to champion specific brands behind the bar.

“Britain’s On-Premise is a high-engagement market where bartenders play a pivotal role in shaping consumer choices. The numbers speak for themselves: bartenders recommend spirits and wines more frequently than their global peers, making them powerful allies for brand growth. It’s clear that drinks brands that invest in education, advocacy, and experiential marketing will win in this competitive landscape. If you want to succeed, start with the bartenders—they are your most influential advocates.”

Rachel Weller
NIQ’s Commercial Leader UK & IRE

About the Global Bartender Report

The Global Bartender Report 2025 is powered by BarSights, NIQ’s in-depth research with 1,529 hospitality professionals in 10 major countries around the world—all with more than six months’ experience in the sector and hand-picked to secure the best possible insights. The report is available to purchase now, and bespoke analysis is available to help businesses understand bartenders’ views on specific brands, categories or issues. Country-level reports are available to help identify nuances in bartenders’ views.   

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