What You Can Learn About Marketing from Flavored Vodkas

I accidentally tried Smirnoff's Spicy Tamarind Vodka. It was a gift from a friend, and I didn't have high hopes. It was more of a dare to give it a shot (pun!) and though vodka isn't usually my spirit of choice, I agreed. It was surprisingly good just in a glass with some ice, which led me down a bit of a journey to see what else I could find. It turns out many brands of vodka are quite ambitious in their introductions of flavored variants and have been doing them for decades. Absolut has standard fruit pairings like Citron and Mandarin, while Smirnoff has "Electric Guava" and a new range of flavors inspired by India.

Whether you enjoy the flavorings or stick with traditional (or don't like vodka at all), there's an interesting marketing lesson here. Vodka works for flavoring and infusions because it doesn't already have an overwhelming flavor profile. Spicy Tamarind Whiskey, on the other hand, would be a predictable flop. This introduces an interesting analogy to consider for your own marketing or other brands in other categories that you see.

There are brands and products that seem purpose built for "infusions" through collaboration or pairings. LEGO, for example, has thrived since taking on partnerships to create branded sets. What sort of partnerships could you take on that would offer a similar opportunity? You could go a more "vanilla" route like Absolut or go full "Mirchi Mango" like Smirnoff. Either way, infusion marketing could lead you to your next big creative promotional idea. And having some vodka while you do it might help too.