On or off? How to grow a brand in an ever-changing world

By Caroline Dilloway, Managing Director

As the world starts to open up into a ‘new normal’ and (dare I say it) post-Covid way of life, businesses spanning a multitude of industries are taking advantage of the opportunity to reset. And no more so than those industries directly affected by the change in consumer behaviour that Covid has instigated.

The alcoholic beverages sector has seen and will continue to see an effect in all corners, with perhaps the greatest impact spectrum of any sector with on-trade closures versus exponential off-trade sales growth.

Illustration by Gabriella @ STORMBRANDS

Those businesses with the scale, the reach and the availability in both on and off trade spaces have, of course fared better. But for a stabilised future, now is the time to face into the changes brought about to realise the opportunities for brand growth on both sides of the trade.

Firstly, this is not simply a time to reset and revert back to the before. Life has changed, consumers are thinking differently and expectations have evolved. The opportunity for existing brands is to make change happen by re-setting goals and parameters for the market and the culture of their brands world whilst remaining true to any heritage or provenance story.

Any such reappraisal is particularly key for established brands in this sector because new entrants will take advantage of their purpose being borne in response to a Covid world and therefore based on new insight.
It’s vital that a defined and real brand purpose exists, derived from brand truth and played out through the brand’s story, told differently for on-trade and off-trade experiences. A focus on genuine care-abouts, without compromise on values, will set new standards and expectations, and a new place in consumers’ changing lives.

These extended ‘unprecedented’ and turbulent times saw people creating new ways to connect and socialise and the emergence of new and unique occasions. These occasions were often centred on a common beverage of choice, resulting in the generation of new lifestyle rituals that will forever have associations for consumers around particular brands. With the opportunity for choice between on and off trade consumption opening up again, it’s important brands build on the new memory structures created by lockdown inspired social moments and take them forward with a distinct role and ritual to delineate between on and off trade to remain relevant and positive in association.

For on-trade brands, the opportunity is in realising new ways of doing things, innovation and embrace of the new world. The creation of new rituals and new ‘serve’ where easy adaptation can be deployed if restrictions change again without notice, without diminishing any new experience the ritual was creating.

For off-trade brands, it’s about pace, dynamism and progressive evolution. Being mindful that home has a new meaning and a new (mostly positive) role in consumers’ lives. This is the time to capitalise on a new conviviality movement where the consumer is the author and the storyteller - setting their own scene and guest list. The brands role is in helping to make an occasion and make it special.

And for brands with a foothold in both on and off trade, the differences that each environment can bring should be celebrated and the opportunity to rewrite conviviality for the future, embraced. Consider utilising key brands in the family to focus on trends that emerged or were amplified during the pandemic, particularly around wellness, kindness, inclusivity and the environment. All whilst ensuring cohesion across the portfolio to bolster the master brand story.

The future is bright in this sector as cautious optimism gathers pace and consumers become more open to embracing life again. It’s been one hell of a journey, but with people now more thankful for what they’ve missed and more keen for a simpler life to make the most of time together, the opportunities are greater than anyone could have imagined.

…Cheers!