Everyone loves a good story, right? Storytelling can provide education and entertainment.  It’s a means of self-expression, of communicating ideas. And when it comes to brands, it enables them to stand out from the crowd and for people to connect with those values that they identify with. 

After all the restrictions and pent-up demand of the last two years, we saw increased interest in premiumisation in the alcohol category. The desire to make every occasion count. And also, evolved needs and mindsets. Personal growth and a desire to learn makes brand stories even more important. 

Consumers are genuinely interested in the ingredients, how they’re sourced, the people involved, how the breweries and distilleries came to be. These details provide a connection, something that consumers can empathise with. It makes people feel special, whether consuming alone or sharing and ‘treating’ their friends. And the explosion of on-line mixology sessions and tastings has enabled many small producers to get their story out.  

Last summer, I joined an online gin tasting session through The Craft Gin Club. Listening to the individual producers telling their stories of how and why they had started their distilleries and choosing botanicals that grew in the local area was expected. But it was the details beyond this that they shared that added real personality and depth to their stories and made me want to connect with these brands. Every time I pick up my bottle of Boatyard Gin I’m reminded of the tractor receipt that inspired the font on the label and the level of detail, care and emotion that goes into every aspect of their product.  

It’s not enough to simply have a product that tastes good. Consumers want more depth, more of an experience. Emotion is a powerful thing and creating stories which generate an emotional response can have a long-lasting impact.