The Booze Bin

Oct 29 2014

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  • Eat, Drink and Be Merry on the Craft Beer Train (Food Pairing INFOGRAPHIC)

    craft beer train. (Whoot, whoot!) This train is movin’ at lightning speed, and it’s going places we’ve never been before. It’s a pretty exciting time for those of us who appreciate all the goodness of beer, and an even more exciting time for those of us marketers who work with the beverage industry. I saw it with the announcement of Stone Brewing coming to the East Coast…the momentum, the support, the excitement! I mean, this train can go anywhere, right? The industry is bursting with breweries, meet-up groups, clubs, websites, festivals, awards and more...so, what’s the next stop? spacer I’m calling it. Beer and food pairings will be all the rage nationwide. From five-course dinners to seasonal menus to custom created events, beer-food pairings will be popping up in restaurants, bars, breweries and festivals all over the country. Wine pairings have been around forever, so it’s only natural that craft beer follow in those well-tread footsteps. And while I have seen some beer pairing dinners here and there, I think as the concept explodes, the job… -->

    I admit it. As a beer lover, I have hopped on the craft beer train. (Whoot, whoot!) This train is movin’ at lightning speed, and it’s going places we’ve never been before. It’s a pretty exciting time for those of us who appreciate all the goodness of beer, and an even more exciting time for those of us marketers who work with the beverage industry. I saw it with the announcement of Stone Brewing coming to the East Coast…the momentum, the support, the excitement! I mean, this train can go anywhere, right? The industry is bursting with breweries, meet-up groups, clubs, websites, festivals, awards and more…so, what’s the next stop?

    spacer I’m calling it. Beer and food pairings will be all the rage nationwide. From five-course dinners to seasonal menus to custom created events, beer-food pairings will be popping up in restaurants, bars, breweries and festivals all over the country. Wine pairings have been around forever, so it’s only natural that craft beer follow in those well-tread footsteps. And while I have seen some beer pairing dinners here and there, I think as the concept explodes, the job…

    But wait, there’s more!
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    spacer By Denise Grega

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    The Booze Bin

    Oct 22 2014

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  • Vodka vs Whisky: Top 3 Reasons for the Shift in U.S. Sales

    advocate of vodka left. I’ve had some backup with U.S. sales and with the recent book by Victorino Matus, I didn’t feel so alone in the world. Or so I thought.spacer That all changed this week when it was released that whisky has overtaken vodka in U.S. sales. Which makes this little tidbit all that more interesting: Vodka has overtaken whisky sales in the UK. spacer While Whisky usually costs more than vodka and is driving the sales price up, the biggest volume drivers are large brands that cost less. If pricing isn’t the issue, what caused this shift of power? 1) Flavors. The vodka category has been counting on new flavors to drive sales. Everyone and their vodka brother had a flavor, some good*, some bad. Whisky has jumped on the bandwagon, creating varying flavors, some good, some bad. But that has allowed for the category to increase space on shelves. spacer 2) Women. Females are the main purchaser of alcohol in the home. There is the… -->

    Sometimes, I feel I am the only advocate of vodka left. I’ve had some backup with U.S. sales and with the recent book by Victorino Matus, I didn’t feel so alone in the world.

    Or so I thought.spacer

    That all changed this week when it was released that whisky has overtaken vodka in U.S. sales. Which makes this little tidbit all that more interesting: Vodka has overtaken whisky sales in the UK. spacer

    While Whisky usually costs more than vodka and is driving the sales price up, the biggest volume drivers are large brands that cost less. If pricing isn’t the issue, what caused this shift of power?

    1) Flavors. The vodka category has been counting on new flavors to drive sales. Everyone and their vodka brother had a flavor, some good*, some bad. Whisky has jumped on the bandwagon, creating varying flavors, some good, some bad. But that has allowed for the category to increase space on shelves. spacer

    2) Women. Females are the main purchaser of alcohol in the home. There is the…

    But wait, there’s more!
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    spacer By Rebekah Polster

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    Media Relations

    Oct 15 2014

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  • How to Get Media to Attend a Boring Event

    In public relations, face time between your clients and editors is crucial. It’s especially important in food and beverage PR when you represent a foreign client who visits the U.S. once, maybe twice, a year. Your only opportunity to make a lasting impression with the media and impress the client is by filling every last seat at your event. When your client is in town for 36 hours, there is no room for empty seats.

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    Yes, sometimes, when the client is in town, there is not necessarily news to report on other than, “Hey, so-and-so is here so let’s get some press out of it!” So the money question is: How do you get media to attend a potentially boring event? 

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    The short answer: Make it worth their while. Here are three easy tips:

    -          Pick a new venue: Host the event at a new restaurant or bar that journalists are dying to go to. Food and beverage editors won’t turn down a free meal at a hot new venue (unless you work for The New York Times), especially if you can schedule your event before…

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    spacer By Laura Petrosky

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    The Booze Bin

    Oct 8 2014

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  • From Tampa to Big Bear – Prost!

    spacer The German Oktoberfest is of course more culturally legitimate than anything we can conjure up in the States, but we are always happy for an excuse to drink heaps of delicious beer. Whether we’re reconnecting with our Germanic roots or simply jumping on the würst wagon, there is no shame in raising a stein (or two) to those old Bavarian farmers. If you haven’t already been involved in the festivities, here are 5 ways you can still celebrate Oktoberfest in the States: 1. The best in the Midwest - The New Ulm Oktoberfest (October 10th – 11th) 2. Bring your steins to the South – Tampa Oktoberfest (October… -->

    The Munchen Oktoberfest may have wrapped up last week, but Americans will be channeling their inner German all month long. And can you blame us? Oktoberfest began as a modest Bavarian agricultural show at the turn of the 19th century, and has transformed into a festival of attractions, from amusement rides and beer halls to bratwürst and giant pretzels. The traditional festival has come a long way, and now serves a whopping 7 million liters of beer to 6 million thirsty people.spacer

    The German Oktoberfest is of course more culturally legitimate than anything we can conjure up in the States, but we are always happy for an excuse to drink heaps of delicious beer. Whether we’re reconnecting with our Germanic roots or simply jumping on the würst wagon, there is no shame in raising a stein (or two) to those old Bavarian farmers.

    If you haven’t already been involved in the festivities, here are 5 ways you can still celebrate Oktoberfest in the States:

    1. The best in the Midwest – The New Ulm Oktoberfest (October 10th – 11th)

    2. Bring your steins to the South – Tampa Oktoberfest (October…

    But wait, there’s more!
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    spacer By Jill Haapaniemi

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    The Booze Bin

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  • How to Win a Silver Anvil (while Holding a Glass of Wine)

    spacer I have a confession to make. After more than a decade in booze PR, I have never attended a PRSA conference. I KNOW. It is so crazy, it’s Italian television crazy. But allow me to redeem myself.

    I have helped to write, edit and submit more PR award entries than I care to remember. Ok, they were submitted at 11:59pm on the late entry date north of 99% of the time. But that’s not the point. The point is, I have been fortunate enough to learn from some of the best in the industry (I’m looking at you, Patrice Tanaka), and whipped, kicking and screaming, into PR award shape.

    With the annual PRSA International Conference in DC only a few days away, I am working feverishly with the (ahem, no big deal) SILVER ANVIL award-winning Rioja team to prep our PRSA session, “Pairing Rioja Wine Producers with the U.S. Market.” Truly a team effort, this winning entry was led by the Rioja Trade Campaign Manager, Lauren Ray, assisted by Pablo Olay (Campaign Director), Rebekah Polster (Media Team Supervisor), Daniel Walsh (Trade Team Consultant) and the PR award…

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    spacer By Pia Mara Finkell

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    The Booze Bin

    Oct 1 2014

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  • Are Booze Delivery Apps Worth the Buzz?

    Apps like Seamless and Uber make it easy to get takeout from your favorite Thai restaurant or a ride across town. Alcohol delivery itself isn’t entirely a new concept, but now startups are making it as simple to get a bottle of Pinot Noir delivered to your door all from the comfort of your mobile [...]

    spacer Posted by Tameka Davis

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