Stirrings® Simple™ Cocktail Mixers is seeking a creative and incredibly viral way to inspire our target consumer (women, 30-39) to elevate their at-home entertaining with Stirrings Cocktails, a simple way to delight their guests.

Stirrings is the originator of super-premium cocktail ingredients, and continues to lead the cocktail mixer category today. The first brand to introduce an all-natural, real fruit juice cocktail mixer, the company has since gone on to launch more than 50 innovative and delicious cocktail products created to make it easy for anyone, from the seasoned Mixologist to the novice home entertainer, to create amazing libations that liven up any occasion.

Find Stirrings at select gourmet specialty stores (like Whole Foods), liquor stores, lifestyle emporiums (like Cost Plus World Market and Pier 1), and online at www.Stirrings.com.

Stirrings product portfolio is quite vast and includes Cocktail Mixers, Rimmer® Garnishes, Cocktail Sodas, and Bar Ingredients. However, the goal of this campaign is to drive awareness, trial and ‘top of mind’ for our Cocktail Mixers, which are our most widely distributed line. Specifically, we would like to focus on our “core” Mixers:
• Pomegranate Martini: an all-natural blend of real pomegranate juice, perfectly balanced with lemon for a smooth, sweet-tart taste; mix 2 parts Mixer to 1 part vodka for a perfect Pom’tini
• Cosmopolitan: all-natural Cape Cod cranberries, Key limes and Triple Sec create this classic cocktail; mix 2 parts Mixer to 1 part vodka
• Mojito: the first ever Mojito mixer, made with real Key lime juice, mint and cane sugar; mix 2 parts Mixer, 1 part rum, 2 parts Club Soda for an authentic Cuban cocktail
• Margarita: an all-natural, clean blend of Key lime juice, cane sugar and Triple Sec creates the freshest Margaritas around; mix 2 parts Mixer with 1 part tequila
• Lemon Drop: bright Eureka lemons and cane sugar perfectly balanced for an incredibly versatile and satisfying cocktail; mix 2 parts Mixed with 1 part vodka

Drive consideration for Stirrings and cocktails for at-home occasions by demonstrating how Stirrings cocktails can elevate any occasion, simply.

Our key insight is that consumers want to enhance their at-home entertaining with great cocktails, but don’t want to (or simply cannot) invest the time and effort to learn how. The perception that making drinks is complicated (too many ingredients to buy, too difficult to make), expensive (high initial outlay for all of the different ingredients), and risky (hard to get right and inconsistent).

This insight explains why cocktail consumption in bars and restaurants far exceeds consumption at home – people just don’t know how to, or are intimidated to, make great drinks! Therefore, they default to staid beer and wine for their at-home drinking occasions.

The question begs itself, why do consumers choose primarily cocktails outside of home, but revert to safe drinks like beer and wine at home? Because (1) the mixer quality has been lacking, and (2) because they do not know how to make cocktails. Stirrings provides the same juice and sugar quality of the best bars and is as simple as 1+1 = great cocktails.

Based on these insights, Stirrings’ key brand benefit is that we empower you to delight. Once people realize that making exciting cocktails is virtually as easy as opening a bottle of wine, they can begin to think of our brand for all of their occasions.

Brand Positioning:

Simply better cocktails.
• Exciting, delicious cocktails that rival any bar
• Best, all-natural ingredients: real fruit juice, cane sugar (no high fructose corn syrup, ever!), and triple filtered water
• Simple preparation: world-class cocktails with two ingredients -- 2 parts Mixer, 1 part spirit
• Versatile: 1 bottle, unlimited possibilities to customize your cocktail

Brand Character:

Like our products, the Stirrings brand is honest and understated, yet inherently clever.

Personality
• Creative
• Engaging, captivating
• Original (unexpected)
• Playful
• Clever (a wink and a smile)
• Understated (simple)
• Intelligent

Target Market/Consumer: The Maturing Socializer

Core target: Women and Men, 28-55 (bullseye: Women, 30-39)

Psychographics:
• Interested in cooking, gourmet food, home entertaining
• ‘In-the-know;’ interested in fashion, arts, travel and charity activities
• Cocktail consumption occasions: small gatherings at home (i.e. dinner parties), after work, seasonal entertaining (i.e. BBQs)

Notes:

It is important to note the importance that our packaging plays in our brand equity. To date, our unique, apothecary style bottle has become the icon for super-premium cocktail mixers and more consumers recognize that bottle shape than they do the name “Stirrings.” It is imperative that the bottle play a leading role in the finished piece.

The tagline, Simply Better Cocktails, has been adapted by the company to denote the key brand benefit. However, an additional message/headline may be required to achieve the marketing objective of this piece. Some of our previous messages have been included for consideration in Exhibit A, but the company is open to new ideas.

Exhibit A: Working Messaging:
• Don’t be surprised if your guests leave you tips.
• Pour. Mix. Extend Pinky Finger. Drink.
• Like take out from your favorite bar.
• Pour, shake, serve... don't be surprised if your guests leave you tips.
• Practice makes perfect. Perfect without practice.

Note: These messages are included for consideration only; Stirrings welcomes the suggestion of new messaging that communicates key benefit of delight (primary) and ease of use (secondary).