Interesting figure about Vodka

The Economist

Consumption around the world :

4,5 : It’s the number of billions liters of Vodka consumed in 2012 around the world. For this reason, Vodka is considered as the first hard alchohol consumed around the world and accounts for 18% of world spirit consumption.  

4   is also the average number of Vodka liters per capita consumed around the world in one year.

When thinking about Vodka, we first think about Russia – and for good reasons.

Guess what ?  Russians have consumed no less than half of the world consumption ie. 2 billions liters. 13.9 indicates the number of Vodka liters per capita Russians in one year. They are followed by Belarus (11.3 L), Ukraine (7.7 L) and Poland (7 L). 

1000  Is the number of Vodka distilleries we can observe in Russia and  800 is the different types of this eau-de-vie that exist over there.

 

BUT 80  is the number of beer liters per capital Russians have consumed in one year. It reached roughly 20L ten years ago. So that we can recently observe a new trend of alcohol consumption in Russia. Their way of consumption move closer to Western’s way, with low alcohol content drinks. Indeed, in 10 years, Russia became the 3rd world market for beer. And the decrease in vodka consumption in Russia illustrate the need for russians to cut short with the traditional image of the alcoholic Russian citizen.

                                                                

Outside Russia :

18,6% & 28,27%  represent respectively the increase of Vodka market in the US and UK although Russia remains the most important market as explained before.

7,7 billions : Number of hard alcohol liters that Chinese will buy in 2015 according to Wine and Spirit Research International. Even if Vodka is not considered as their favorite spirits, it exist a noticable potential in China for vodka. And a new consumer generation has emerged and they are more and more attracted by Westner way of life and consumption.

35,10  is the pourcentage of Poliakov (La Martiniquaise) market share in French hypermakets and supermarkets. It is followed by MDD with 17,30%, Eristoff (Bacardi-Martini) with 15,20%, Sobieski (Marie Brizard) with 11,00%, Absolut (Ricard) with 5,20%, Smirnoff (MHD) with 5,10%, Zubrowka (Pernod) with 3,10% and Russian Standard (Lixir) with 1,60%.

-114,4°C is the temperature after which Vodka can freeze. We have no reason to be affraid of freezing our Vodka when we put it in our freezer which usually reaches about -18°C.

Less funny :

42 000 is the number of Russians who died each year after drinking adulterated vodka according to official figures.

62,8 is the average life expectancy for men in Russia, who are 4 times more subjected to alcohol disease than women.

Alchohol abuse is dangerous for health, consume with moderation.

Marketing Strategies - Episode 1 The Smirnoff menace

When we decided to make our blog about Vodka and when I chose to work more specifically on the main actors marketing strategies well…I was firstly a bit suspicious regarding the power of marketing knowing that when I choose one it’s most of the time late, in a dark and noisy environment and the pretty waitress has not much to do to convince me taking a more expensive bottle given that my attention is fully attracted on the color of her eyes more than anything else… Then I hear someone yelling in my ears something obscure… O ye it must be my best friend remembering me that I am not one of the Rothschild inheritor and finally we take the same bottle as always, the one not too cheap nor too expensive to respectively save money on headache drugs and not get a call from my banker the next morning…

After sobering up I do have to admit that there must be a little something else helping my alcoholic friends and myself taking most of the time the same brand of Vodka wherever we buy it and even if we have a wide choice of up to 20 different brands in big clubs or supermarkets.

Therefore and for the first article on main actors marketing strategies, let’s have a look at Smirnoff, number 1 seller of Vodka in the world with nearly 25 million of 9 liters cases per year (2011 figures) far ahead Absolut and their 11,2 millions. http://vodkasales.com/tag/vodka-vodka-sales/ To reach these figures, Smirnoff has put in place strong advertising campaigns focusing incredibly well on their target… The 20/30 years old urban people. http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/1153157/

A quick look on their web-site gives us straightforward a precise idea of what it is all about. It is about having and sharing an experience, more precisely a new night experience thanks to the brand. We are not talking about a drink or a product anymore but about feelings and experiences that are part of our happiest moments in life ie: The time we spend with our friends... The web-site proposes to teach us how to make drinks but more interesting to propose our drinks and share it with the other users. It is like ‘being part of the Smirnoff community’; share your experiences with us. http://www.smirnoff.com/en-us/newmain/vodka-drinks/drink-recipes/#axzz2hn9fHipD

Another example would be the 2013 Smirnoff Ice summer Tour. Parties organized all over the world by Smirnoff and gathering thousands of young people for parties and concerts all night long. Once again we are talking about sharing moments, experiences and feelings... thanks to Smirnoff. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV9vL4hozoU

Smirnoff is clearly playing on our affect and it is a powerful lever. The brand identity is strong and Smirnoff is like a cool friend, a guy we want to be like. Example given with the 2011 advertisement campaign featuring the worldwide famous singer Pharell Williams comparing a song and a Vodka 'The best mixes start pure'  http://www.campaignbrief.com/2011/08/smirnoff-and-pharrell-williams.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXf9CxKlLGQ

So finally my decision to take most of the time a Smirnoff bottle is not only due to the waitress' pretty eyes? Definitely not… Smirnoff marketers have made a great job to make the brand a cool and fashion brand and even more than that: a friend... the one we want to spend a crazy night with.

Coming next… Episode 2 The Absolut strikes back

Know more about Vodka

Vodka is the first hard alcohol consumed in the world, but where does it come from? 

Two countries are fighting about the origin of this drink: Russia and Poland. For the Russian the vodka was born in 1450 at the Tschoudovo monastery. The Ivan III tsar established the state monopole of the production and sell of vodka in 1474 and people could drink vodka only few days per years otherwise they were going to jail. Nicolas Ier has abolished the state monopole in 1828, and it’s at this time that the brand Smirnoff was born. For Polish history is different. Vodka made its emergence in the 16th century in monasteries of Dantzig region under Ivan IV tsar and made introduce in Russia by monks… In fact, nowadays Vodka is the first hard alcohol drunk in the world and became the national drink of a lot of countries: Poland, Russia, Finland… 

 What does “Vodka” means? 

The word “vodka” can be literally translated as "little water". In Slavic languages, the word for water is “voda” (Russian “вода”, Polish “woda”), and the “ka” is a diminutive value. 

 What makes the quality of vodka? 

Can be identified three fundamental elements in the composition of vodka: 

 1. The raw materials used. 

If the Polish government today wants strictly supervise over the name "vodka" it’s to make it a part of its nobility. We find the basis of its composition a wide variety of raw materials. Cereals (wheat or rye) are supposed to be used for the traditional composition of vodka. This is also from one of these two cereals that the best vodkas in the world are made. But there are also excellent vodkas made from other raw materials such as potatoes, fruits, or beet. This raw material is used to compose the wort. 

 2. Purity of water used. 

Vodka with current standards degree of alcohol, ie between 38 and 42 degrees, is composing of 60% water. The water used is therefore of great importance in the composition of the vodka. The provenance Vodka is therefore important, because water used affects the quality of vodka: the use of a water source of high purity is a sign of refinement of vodka in arises. Thus, vodkas high purity sometimes refers to "spring water" on the label of the bottle. Cold regions such as Scandinavia and the Slavic countries of origins of vodka areas naturally full of many sources of high purity, hence the quality of some vodkas produced in these territories. 

3. Number of successive distillations. 

The brands of vodka regularly mention the number of successive distillations made during the composition of their vodka. As well, we see regularly "N distillations" written on the bottle. In fact, 6 times distilled vodka is not necessarily better than vodka distilled only 3 times. The successive distillations have the effect of increasing the degree of alcohol (then added water to bring the alcohol level standards) and the bitterness left by wort is reduced in order to be sweet in mouth. Distillation contributes to make the purest vodka, but not only guarantee the refinement of vodka. 

 In summary, to judge the quality of vodka (before having tasted), you need to ask yourself these three questions: What is the agricultural raw material used? What is the source of water used? What is the number of successive distillations?