In the July issue of National Liquor News, Alec Wagstaff, the CEO of Spirits and Cocktails Australia, discussed the celebrations of spirits around the world and how retailers and bartenders alike can use these occasions to unlock the great stories and traditions of some great brands.

July saw the global spirits celebrations that are World Rum Day and International Tequila Day. In rum and tequila bars around the world, bartenders, mixologists and customers celebrated these two incredible spirits with special events and promotions.

Another example is World Whisky Day, celebrated on the third Saturday in May every year. It’s a day to celebrate all things whisky, the perfect opportunity to try a dram and celebrate the water of life. World Whisky Day is all about making whisky fun and enjoyable.

Today it seems as though every time we turn the calendar to a new month or flip our diaries open at a new week there is a national or international holiday to be observed. I write this in a month that has celebrated World Juggling Day, Corn on the Cob Day and Hug Your Cat Day. Perhaps it started with Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day (themselves great marketing opportunities for spirits gifting) but such days have become more and more popular because they are such a great marketing tool.

Days dedicated to a particular spirit or cocktail (or an entire month in the case of Negroni) are a great opportunity to not only celebrate the tradition and wonder of your favourite spirit but also to encourage your customers to try something new.

You can keep it simple or go all out.

Put the spirit of the day on sale or offer a special deal. Share fun details on your website or post some fun facts about the spirit (or the cocktail) to your social media account. Retailers can set up a dedicated section. Talk to the sales teams of your spirit suppliers – they’re the perfect people to help you with ways to celebrate the spirit and to create excitement for your customers.

Use these spirits and cocktail days to have some fun with your friends and family. Use them to encourage your customers to try something new. Use them to unlock the mystery and tradition of great spirits and great brands, to expand your customers’ repertoire and to drive incremental sales.

Looking ahead August 3 just happens to be International Scottish Gin Day, 4 October happens to be Vodka Day, while 19 October is International Gin & Tonic Day. And these are just a small sample of the spirit days you can celebrate.

Get onto Dr Google to research what is coming up and ask your spirits supplier for some marketing tips to make the most of the sales opportunity.

Read the July issue of National Liquor News online now.

Andy Young

Andy joined Intermedia as Editor of The Shout in 2015, writing news on a daily basis and also writing features for National Liquor News. Now Managing Editor of both The Shout and Bars and Clubs.

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