How Diageo ushered in a new era for their Ketel One brand
An Alcoholic Beverages success story:
Expanding the Ketel One line with a lower-ABV spirit for mindful consumers
The Diageo team saw an opportunity…
‘[We] observed…consumers simply eating, drinking and shopping better. The emergence of this ‘mindful consumer’ paid close attention to ingredients in their food and drink and the production process. They were looking for drinking alternatives that complement a balanced lifestyle.’
Jim Raun
Vice President of Reserve Vodkas and DeLeón Tequila at Diageo
A healthier, more mindful spirit
Supported by NIQ BASES’ expertise, the Diageo-BASES partnership provided the confidence to:
Validate the proposition
Verify the viability of botanical/ fruit-forward articulation & pack imagery
Identify favorable consumers & occasions
Clarify the right vocabulary (i.e. varietals vs. flavors) & best communication tactics
Partnered with NIQ BASES and came up with an idea…
Developed a
product…
Double-distilled, botanical-infused vodka
Produced via the following process:
- First distillation of Ketel One vodka
- Second distillation of botanical blend
- Infusing the natural fruit essence
Resulting in a mindful, wellness-conscious spirit boasting:
73 calories per serving (40% less than glass of white wine)
30% ABV (vs. full proof spirits)
Spritz-style serving in wine glasses
With optimized packaging…
And strong activation…
Focused on winning credibility in $4.2 trillion wellness market from all angles
Consumers
Advertising, sampling, activation strategy geared at leaning into broader cultural wellness
Culture
Events and partnerships with wellness ambassadors like goop, Chillhouse, Tone It Up, etc.
Trade
Convincing bartenders of quality, distillation expertise, family-made intentions, etc.
To see winning in-market results.
Ketel One Botanicals experienced double-digit sales in their first year, and saw increasing numbers in the second year, driving Diageo’s business growth
