As a full-service creative agency specialising in drinks, industry insight and research are key to the high-quality work and relevant guidance we provide our clients at Wonderworks. One of the ways we like to stay informed is by attending various industry and brand activation events in London. In 2023, we started our Dry Jan off strong by venturing into the low and no alcoholic drinks category.

Here are some of our takeaways.

The Social Movement

In the past few years, health consciousness among young adults has led to a growing desire to many to reduce their alcohol consumption and drink mindfully. Dry-January, Sober October, sober curious, sober: these lifestyle trends are becoming more prevalent. For the first time in history, new generations are consuming less than previous ones.

Why are people slowly steering away from alcoholic beverages? According to Drinkaware, there are many different reasons, the most common ones being: interest in better physical and mental health, different lifestyle choices, higher energy levels, and higher quality social interactions.

Exploring the Category

For people seeking to switch to low or no drinks, a common misconception is that there aren’t many brands out there with the flavour and liquid quality offered by credible alternatives alcoholic brands. There is still room for brands to populate and disrupt this category to fulfil the growing demand. Here are two starting points in exploring the category that we recommend:

Finding a specialty shop: Club Soda is a great example of a knowledgeable retailer that has a curated selection of the best alternatives on the market. From wine and beer to spirits and mood enhancers, Club Soda in Covent Garden is a great one-stop shop for the consumer looking to venture into the world of non-alcoholic drinks.

Earlier this year, we had the pleasure of attending Club Soda’s Alcohol-free Red Wine Flight event during which we discovered a new range of non-alcoholic wine brands. The experts at Club Soda reintroduced us to the category and changed our initial negative perception of alcohol-free wine as being too sweet and generally underwhelming. This goes to show how the low to no category is continuously undergoing changes and making advances.

Established brands without the alcohol: Many drink brands are leaning into the low to no category by developing alternatives within their own product line. Sipsmith’s FreeGlider is a great example of a gin brand expanding their product range to attract the sober and sober curious consumer to their label.

In addition to working directly with Sipsmith and the FreeGlider product, we were also able to enjoy a taste during their SoberGirl x FreeGlider Mixer event back in March. We even learned how to make our very own FreeGlider mocktails at home!

Finding your New Go-To Drink  

Lowering your alcohol intake shouldn’t be boring and your drink alternative shouldn’t be either. From spirits to wine and beer, the world of alcohol-based products is a craft, and appreciating it goes far beyond simple alcohol percentage. Flavour, note, length, smoothness, and mouth feel are all elements that help shape personal taste and determine what makes a good cocktail/alcohol drink.

Our tip: To find your new low to no go-to drink, start by identifying an alcoholic drink you enjoy and stripping it back to its fundamental elements. It’s knowing you like a gin and tonic on a night out because it’s low in calories, refreshing and robust, with sweet undertones from the tonic water. In this case, your low to no alternative could be the FreeGlider & Tonic. If you enjoy Cabernet Sauvignon with your steak, you might find that Zeno’s Alcohol Liberated Red is a good alternative, as it is a full-bodied dry wine with hints of green pepper and black forest fruits, with a creamy mouthfeel finish.

The path towards mindful drinking is still being paved. As brand specialists we are excited to actively contribute to this new wave and develop creative and purposeful strategies for our clients.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our branding consultants’ team to see how we can help evolve a health consciousness approach and strategy development for your drinks brand.