Comment - Spirits (Brown) - Last Orders with Neil Ridley
By: Neil Ridley
Brown spirits aficionado Neil Ridley casts his eye over the latest goings-on in whisk(e)y, Cognac, dark rum et al.
Why the spirits category should look backwards to move forwards - Comment 16 May 2019
Can the recent reinvention of 'classic serves' help revolutionise dark spirits consumption for a younger, savvier audience in the on-premise? Neil Ridley looks to the past for inspiration.
Why being careful is not careful enough for spirits marketers - Comment
11 Apr 2019
As Edrington's The Macallan is forced to withdraw its major advertising campaign in the UK following a handful of complaints, Neil Ridley wonders if the rules surrounding the above-the-line promotion of spirits are turning us into a nation of naysayers and killjoys, or is there a deeper message here for the drinks industry as a whole?
Why the mainstream media is confusing spirits' target consumer - Comment 14 Mar 2019
When people talk about alcohol, a lot of them get quite excited. Some get over-excited. As for those people that work in the media... Neil Ridley explains.
How to win the marketing war in spirits - Comment
15 Feb 2019
Our brown spirits commentator, Neil Ridley, has had his passion for whisky reignited, thanks to a recent trip to the Scottish island of Islay. He's also concluded that a 'sense of place' is the most important weapon in a spirits' marketer's armoury.
What's coming up in brown spirits in 2019? - Predictions for the Year Ahead - Comment
15 Jan 2019
After the excesses of December, brown spirits commentator Neil Ridley takes a cursory glance into what 2019 is likely to bring, including a few shake-ups in the no-/low-alcohol segment of the category.
Why spirits marketing risks losing sight of the actual spirit - Comment
22 Nov 2018
As marketing activity becomes more digitally-focussed, visually-orientated and 'Instagrammable', are spirits companies losing sight of the importance of simply delivering a tasting experience? Neil Ridley warns that some brand owners run the risk of losing the plot.
Why the spirits category needs to rethink its future positioning - Comment 18 Sep 2018
Our spirits commentator, Neil Ridley, is all riled up. Again. This time, it's about the positioning at the higher end of the spirits category.
Are spirits brand owners driving Global Travel Retail customers to distraction? - Comment 23 Aug 2018
With the Global Travel Retail channel becoming such an important testing ground for new innovative expressions, have brown spirits brand owners found the perfect launch pad for NPD, or are they slowly but surely confusing consumers with mixed messages? Neil Ridley checks in for a nose around.
Who will buy Cutty Sark and Glenturret from Edrington? - Comment
17 Jul 2018
The opportunity to acquire an established, well-known Scotch whisky brand doesn't come along very often. So, you'll forgive our brown spirits commentator, Neil Ridley for being a bit excited right now.
Why Irish whiskey must learn to manage its time - Comment 19 Jun 2018
Is the renaissance of Irish whiskey about to hit its first major bump along the emerald pathway? Neil Ridley looks at what can be learnt as the segment's popularity continues to rise.
Why The Macallan 2.0 is the ultimate challenge to its Scotch whisky rivals - Comment
22 May 2018
The opening this week of The Macallan's newly-"reimagined" Scotch whisky distillery by Edrington is a defining moment in the category, believes Neil Ridley. So, what is the knock-on effect for the rest of the Scotch industry?
How to avoid a legal row over your brand name - Comment 24 Apr 2018
What's in a brand name? A lot more than we would expect, according to spirits commentator Neil Ridley. And, he speaks from experience.
What's the best way to market spirits brands to female consumers? - Comment
20 Mar 2018
Is gender becoming an all-consuming issue in whisky? just-drinks' brown spirits commentator, Neil Ridley, certainly hopes not.
For which awards should you put your spirits brand forward? - Comment
22 Feb 2018
This month, spirits commentator Neil Ridley ponders whether there are too many spirits category awards these days, and what it actually means to win one.
What's coming up in spirits in 2018? - Predictions for the Year Ahead - Comment 18 Jan 2018
This month, we've charged our category commentators with predicting the year ahead for their respective sectors. Here, Neil Ridley tells us how he sees 2018 panning out for the global brown spirits category.
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