The marketing of Vodka

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Monday, August 15. 2011

How the flavorless, colorless, odorless spirit became a billion-dollar business.

When I think about marketing genius, I usually think of bottled water. However, maybe the marketing of vodka takes the cake.

Water and vodka lack color, flavor, and odor, so they both present formidable marketing challenges which Madison Avenue has masterfully overcome in the effort to persuade you to part with your hard-earned money.

Posted by The Barrister in Food and Drink, Our Essays at 12:13 | Comments (7) | Trackbacks (0)

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Quite right, B.

I am still amazed at the success of the bottled water business. I would have thought it would only be slightly more successful than the sale of pet rocks.

As for the vodka, in college I had an ag econ prof explain to us that vodka was vodka. It is chemically all the same, and yet people are willing to shell out substantially more for premium brands.

Marketing indeed.

#1 feeblemind on 2011-08-15 12:52 (Reply)

My high school buddy is chief winemaker for a large, respected winery. when they faced a downturn in prices for fine wine, his boss(es) arranged for him to make vodka for several very famous vodka makers. Eddy made the same stuff for everyone; they were poured into different bottles and labels. He pointed out that this was simple alcohol, although you could add a flavoring if the label insisted.

He loves making wine. Different experience, particularly as he oversees the viticulture and harvest.

#2 Nathan on 2011-08-15 12:58 (Reply)

I have tasted some bad tap water. In Riverside, CA, back in the early '80s, tap water in a plastic milk jug would turn the jug brown after a couple of days.

My water now tastes OK from the tap, but not after it's sat for a while.

#3 Sam L. on 2011-08-15 12:58 (Reply)

I've been to Poland and sampled many different brands of Vodka. It's subtle in most cases but there is definitely a difference. There is a problem with many bartenders who over shake and thus waterdown the flavor that is there.

And while I would agree for the most part about water, I've lived in different towns that had significanly different water qualities. H2O is H2O is H2O, but unless it's distilled there are bound to be trace minerals either naturally or acquired from the conduits.

#4 sammay on 2011-08-15 13:43 (Reply)

Our timeshare is outside Winter Haven FLA, and the water has an odd sulfur content to the smell and taste - the resort office says its to keep down the bacteria\algae

If it wasn't for bottled water, I'd swill soda all vacation week...

#5 Fred Zeppelin on 2011-08-15 13:44 (Reply)

Its because of the sulfur in the shallow wells. Won't kill just smells funny. Deep down you get Zephyrhills water from the Florida aquifer which is much better.

#5.1 grant1863 on 2011-08-15 16:24 (Reply)

Atlanta tap tastes just fine out of the 'hooch. I only use bottled water for the carry convenience. I guess we could ise thermoses or sports bottles more for portability requirements, usually we just grab a bottle of water.

#6 phil g on 2011-08-15 15:37 (Reply)

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Monday, August 15. 2011

The marketing of Vodka