Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Flavoring innovation, continued growth in premium push total distilled spirits to new sales heights
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- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of distilled spirits, at current prices, 2009-19
- Slight, but steady growth in dark spirits volume sales
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- Figure 2: US volume sales of dark spirits, by segment, 2009-14
- Straight whiskey remains the strongest dark spirits segment, with Canadian versions a growing presence
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- Figure 3: US volume sales of whiskey/whisky, by type, 2009-14
- Other alcoholic beverage types vie for Millennial attention
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- Figure 4: Alcoholic beverage purchases, by generations – Any consumption, February 2014
- Value prices resonate more with young dark spirits consumers, mid-range pricing more popular overall
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- Figure 5: Where dark spirits are purchased, by age, July 2014
- Men consume dark spirits at almost twice the level of women
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- Figure 6: Frequency of consuming dark spirits – Any usage, by gender, July 2014
- Whiskey most often consumed with a mixer, while brandy is mostly enjoyed straight up
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- Figure 7: How dark spirits are consumed, July 2014
- Dark spirits consumed most often with friends, family
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- Figure 8: Spirits and socialization – With, by spirits and socialization – When, July 2014
- Favorite brands resonate most strongly with older consumers, younger drinkers appear to have yet to pick a favorite
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- Figure 9: Characteristics when purchasing dark spirits, by generations, July 2014
- Millennials most often drink dark spirits at home
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- Figure 10: Spirits and socialization, by generations, July 2014
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Dark spirits remain a niche product, consumed by roughly half of adults
- Issues
- Insights
- Building dark spirits brand awareness among young adults
- Issues
- Insights
- Can brandy, cognac, and Armagnac escape the shadow of whiskey and establish a niche of loyal consumers?
- Issues
- Insights
Trend Application
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- Trend: Sense of the Intense
- Trend: Why Buy
- Trend: Guiding Choice
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Distilled spirits capitalize on flavorings for sales growth
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- Figure 11: Total US sales and forecast of distilled spirits, at current prices, 2009-19
- Figure 12: Total US sales and forecast of distilled spirits, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2009-19
- Distilled spirits’ slow growth continues
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- Figure 13: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of distilled spirits, at current prices, 2009-19
- Forecast methodology
Market Drivers
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- Key points
- Diverse population drinking a diversity of dark spirits
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- Figure 14: Dark spirits – Usage groups, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
- Millennials regard inexpensive dark spirits as well as premium
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- Figure 15: US population, by generation share, 2014
- Figure 16: Agreement with flavor, price, and packaging of dark spirits, by generations, July 2014
- Spirits consumption highest in households with children
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- Figure 17: Dark spirits – Usage groups, by presence of children in household, July 2014
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- Figure 18: Households, by type, 1970-2012, in percent
Competitive Context
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- Key points
- Millennials lead in alcoholic beverage consumption, versatility
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- Figure 19: Alcoholic beverage purchases, by generations – Any consumption, February 2014
- Beer, wine top drinks to have with a meal
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- Figure 20: Occasions for alcoholic beverage consumption, February 2014
- Wine preferred during meals
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- Figure 21: Occasions for alcoholic beverage consumption, February 2014
Segment Performance
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- Key points
- Dark spirits demonstrate steady, if slight, growth
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- Figure 22: US volume sales of dark spirits, by segment, 2009-14
- Flavors increase whiskey options
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- Figure 23: US volume sales of dark spirits, by segment, 2012 and 2014
- Irish whiskey outpaces other dark spirits segments
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- Figure 24: US volume sales of whiskey/whisky, by type, 2009-14
- Brandy, cognac, and Armagnac sales languish
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- Figure 25: US volume sales of brandy/cognac/Armagnac, 2009-14
Retail Channels
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- Key points
- Distilled spirits purchased mostly off-premise
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- Figure 26: US volume sales of dark and white distilled spirits, by channel, 2009-14
- Liquor stores the destination of choice for dark spirits purchases
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- Figure 27: Where dark spirits are purchased, by age, July 2014
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- Figure 28: Where dark spirits are purchased, by gender, July 2014
- Regardless of race, Hispanic origin, liquor stores are the source for dark spirits
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- Figure 29: Where dark spirits are purchased, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
- Grocers nearly as popular as liquor stores in Midwest and West
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- Figure 30: Where dark spirits are purchased, by region, July 2014
Leading Companies and Marketing Strategies
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- Key points
- Premium and small-batch releases drive dark spirits innovation
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- Figure 31: Crown Royal, “On Point With TGT”, TV spot, April 2014
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- Figure 32: Jim Beam, “Mila Kunis Makes History”, TV commercial, October 2014
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- Figure 33: Hennessy, “Never Stop. Never Settle Volume 1”, YouTube video, October 2014
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- Figure 34: Jack Daniel’s, “Frank The Man,” TV commercial, February 2014
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- Figure 35: Laphroaig, “Laphroaig Opinions Welcome”, promotional video, May 2014
Social Media – Dark Spirits
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- Key points
- Market overview
- Key social media metrics
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- Figure 36: Key social media metrics for select dark spirits brands, September 2014
- Brand usage and awareness
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- Figure 37: Brand usage and awareness for select dark spirits brands, July 2014
- Interactions with dark spirits brands
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- Figure 38: Interaction levels for select dark spirits brands, July 2014
- Leading online campaigns
- Lifestyle highlights
- Content sharing
- What we think
- Online conversations
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- Figure 39: Online conversations for select dark spirits brands, by week, Sept. 8, 2013-Sept. 7, 2014
- Where are people talking about dark spirits?
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- Figure 40: Online conversations for select dark spirits brands, by page type, Sept. 8, 2013-Sept. 7, 2014
- What are people talking about?
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- Figure 41: Topics of conversation for select dark spirits brands, Sept. 8, 2013-Sept. 7, 2014
Innovations and Innovators
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- Top product claims among dark spirits boast premium, ethical positioning
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- Figure 42: Dark spirits launches (whiskey or brandy), by product claim, 2010-14*
- Ethical/environmentally friendly
- Crossover between alcoholic and non-alcoholic categories
- Small batch a premium trend
The Consumer – Frequency of Consumption
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- Key points
- Dark spirits drinkers favor American Kentucky bourbon and Tennessee whiskey
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- Figure 43: Frequency of consuming dark spirits, July 2014
- High-volume dark spirits consumers drink relatively similar amounts of the beverages
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- Figure 44: Frequency of consuming dark spirits – User groups, July 2014
- Men vastly outnumber women in the consumption of dark spirits
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- Figure 45: Frequency of consuming dark spirits – Any usage, by gender, July 2014
- Opportunity to reach women with flavorful dark spirits
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- Figure 46: Agreement with flavor, price, and packaging of dark spirits, by gender, July 2014
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- Figure 47: Agreement with flavor, price, and packaging of dark spirits, by dark spirits – Usage groups, July 2014
The Consumer – Consumption of Dark Spirits
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- Key points
- Dark spirits consumption skews younger
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- Figure 48: Frequency of consuming dark spirits – Any usage, by age, July 2014
- More Millennials drink dark spirits at social gatherings, away from home
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- Figure 49: Spirits and socialization, by generations, July 2014
- Favorite dark spirits brands impact older generations
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- Figure 50: Characteristics when purchasing dark spirits, by generations, July 2014
The Consumer – Dark Spirits Attributes
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- Key points
- Dark spirits flavors resonate with all consumers, particularly women
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- Figure 51: Characteristics when purchasing dark spirits, by gender, July 2014
- Indulgent flavors in dark spirits mostly appeal to those aged 22-34
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- Figure 52: Agreement with flavor, price, and packaging of dark spirits, by age, July 2014
- Women desire indulgent-flavored dark spirits; men want spiced spirits
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- Figure 53: Agreement with flavor, price, and packaging of dark spirits, by gender and age, July 2014
The Consumer – Purchasing Dark Spirits
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- Key points
- Mid-range pricing of dark spirits garners more purchases than value pricing
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- Figure 54: Where dark spirits are purchased, by gender, July 2014
- Value pricing impacts the choice of younger consumers, who drink the most dark spirits
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- Figure 55: Where dark spirits are purchased, by age, July 2014
- More than a third of dark spirits consumers would like more private label options
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- Figure 56: Flavor, price, and packaging of dark spirits, July 2014
- Millennial dark spirits drinkers most likely to respond to mid-range pricing
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- Figure 57: Where dark spirits are purchased, by generations, July 2014
The Consumer – How Dark Spirits are Consumed
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- Key points
- Whiskey drinkers much more likely to consume the beverage on the rocks or with a mixer
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- Figure 58: How dark spirits are consumed, July 2014
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- Figure 59: How dark spirits are consumed, July 2014
- Millennials opt for whiskey straight up, though Baby Boomers more likely to drink flavored whiskey neat
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- Figure 60: Dark spirits neat/straight up, by gender, July 2014
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- Figure 61: Dark spirits neat/straight up, by generations, July 2014
- Men more likely to consume dark spirits on the rocks
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- Figure 62: Dark spirits on the rocks/over ice, by gender, July 2014
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- Figure 63: Dark spirits on the rocks/over ice, by generations, July 2014
- Except for brandy among older consumers, whiskey with a mixer maintains a steady degree of popularity
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- Figure 64: Dark spirits with a mixer, by age, July 2014
- Women more likely to feature dark spirits in a cocktail
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- Figure 65: Dark spirits in a cocktail, by gender, July 2014
Race and Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- More Hispanics drink dark spirits than non-Hispanics
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- Figure 66: Frequency of consuming dark spirits – Any usage, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
- Hispanics favor flavors but not necessarily dark spirits flavor
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- Figure 67: Agreement with flavor, price, and packaging of dark spirits, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
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- Figure 68: Agreement with flavor, price, and packaging of dark spirits, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
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- Figure 69: Agreement with flavor, price, and packaging of dark spirits, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
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- Figure 70: Characteristics when purchasing dark spirits, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
- Figure 71: Characteristics when purchasing dark spirits, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
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- Figure 72: Characteristics when purchasing dark spirits, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
- Value-priced dark spirits resonate more strongly with Hispanic consumers
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- Figure 73: Where dark spirits are purchased, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
- Hispanics more likely to drink socially and as part of a meal
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- Figure 74: Spirits and socialization, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
Appendix – Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- Frequency of consuming dark spirits
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- Figure 75: Frequency of consuming dark spirits – Any usage, by household income, July 2014
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- Figure 76: Frequency of consuming dark spirits – Any usage, by presence of children in household, July 2014
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- Figure 77: Frequency of consuming dark spirits – Any usage, by generations, July 2014
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- Figure 78: Frequency of consuming dark spirits – Any usage, by dark spirits – Usage groups, July 2014
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- Figure 79: Frequency of consuming dark spirits – Any usage, by brandy – Usage groups, July 2014
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- Figure 80: Frequency of consuming dark spirits – Any usage, by brand usage – Past year, July 2014
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- Figure 81: Dark spirits – Usage groups, by generations, July 2014
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- Figure 82: Dark spirits – Usage groups, by brandy – Usage groups, July 2014
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- Figure 83: Brandy usage groups, by household income, July 2014
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- Figure 84: Brandy usage groups, by race/Hispanic origin, July 2014
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- Figure 85: Brandy usage groups, by presence of children in household, July 2014
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- Figure 86: Brandy usage groups, by generations, July 2014
- Characteristics when purchasing dark spirits
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- Figure 87: Characteristics when purchasing dark spirits, by presence of children in household, July 2014
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- Figure 88: Characteristics when purchasing dark spirits, by dark spirits – Usage groups, July 2014
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- Figure 89: Characteristics when purchasing dark spirits, by brandy – Usage groups, July 2014
- Where dark spirits are purchased
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- Figure 90: Where dark spirits are purchased, by dark spirits – Usage groups, July 2014
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- Figure 91: Where dark spirits are purchased, by brandy – Usage groups, July 2014
- Spirits and socialization
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- Figure 92: Spirits and socialization, by gender, July 2014
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- Figure 93: Spirits and socialization, by age, July 2014
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- Figure 94: Spirits and socialization, by household income, July 2014
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- Figure 95: Spirits and socialization, by presence of children in household, July 2014
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- Figure 96: Spirits and socialization, by dark spirits – Usage groups, July 2014
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- Figure 97: Spirits and socialization, by brandy – Usage groups, July 2014
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- Figure 98: Spirits and socialization – With, by spirits and socialization – When, July 2014
- How dark spirits are consumed
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- Figure 99: Dark spirits neat/straight up, by age, July 2014
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- Figure 100: Dark spirits on the rocks/over ice, by age, July 2014
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- Figure 101: Dark spirits with a mixer, by household income, July 2014
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- Figure 102: Dark spirits in a cocktail, by age, July 2014
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- Figure 103: Dark spirits in a cocktail, by household income, July 2014
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- Figure 104: Dark spirits in a cocktail, by presence of children in household, July 2014
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- Figure 105: Dark spirits in other beverage, by gender, July 2014
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- Figure 106: Dark spirits in other beverage, by household income, July 2014
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- Figure 107: Dark spirits in other beverage, by generations, July 2014
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- Figure 108: Spirits and socialization, by dark spirits neat/straight up, July 2014
- Flavor, price, and packaging of dark spirits
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- Figure 109: Flavor, price, and packaging of dark spirits, July 2014
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- Figure 110: Agreement with flavor, price, and packaging of dark spirits, by gender, July 2014
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- Figure 111: Agreement with flavor, price, and packaging of dark spirits, by household income, July 2014
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- Figure 112: Agreement with flavor, price, and packaging of dark spirits, by presence of children in household, July 2014
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- Figure 113: Agreement with flavor, price, and packaging of dark spirits, by brandy – Usage groups, July 2014
Appendix – Social Media – Dark Spirits
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- Brand usage or awareness
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- Figure 114: Brand usage or awareness, July 2014
- Figure 115: Johnnie Walker usage or awareness, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 116: Hennessy usage or awareness, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 117: Jack Daniel’s usage or awareness, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 118: Maker’s Mark usage or awareness, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 119: Wild Turkey usage or awareness, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 120: Crown Royal usage or awareness, by demographics, July 2014
- Activities done
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- Figure 121: Activities done, July 2014
- Figure 122: Johnnie Walker – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 123: Johnnie Walker – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 124: Johnnie Walker – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 125: Johnnie Walker – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 126: Hennessy – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 127: Hennessy – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 128: Hennessy – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 129: Hennessy – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 130: Jack Daniel’s – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 131: Jack Daniel’s – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 132: Jack Daniel’s – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 133: Jack Daniel’s – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 134: Maker’s Mark – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 135: Maker’s Mark – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 136: Maker’s Mark – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 137: Maker’s Mark – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 138: Wild Turkey – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 139: Wild Turkey – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 140: Wild Turkey – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 141: Wild Turkey – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 142: Crown Royal – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 143: Crown Royal – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 144: Crown Royal – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because, by demographics, July 2014
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- Figure 145: Crown Royal – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to, by demographics, July 2014
- Key social media metrics
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- Figure 146: Key social media metrics for select dark spirits brands, September 2014
- Online conversation
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- Figure 147: Online conversations for select dark spirits brands, by week, Sept. 8, 2013-Sept. 7, 2014
- Figure 148: Online conversations for select dark spirits brands, by page type, Sept. 8, 2013-Sept. 7, 2014
- Figure 149: Topics of conversation for select dark spirits brands, Sept. 8, 2013-Sept. 7, 2014
Appendix – Trade Associations
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