Imbibe 2015

A lot of Good work (and play) involves the drinks industry, so we sent Maddy to Imbibe, the industry’s annual exhibition.

This month Good were at Imbibe, the drinks industry’s annual exhibition, keeping in touch with all the latest trends and movements in the industry. With our expertise in drinks branding, we always make sure we’re aware which direction the market is going in.

We were delighted to see our latest work, Minus 33, at the exhibition. Minus 33 is an innovative low calorie alternative to gin (the name referring to the amount of calories saved compared to an average gin). On the other end of the spirits spectrum, we also spotted one of our long standing whisky clients, Tamdhu, looking as good as ever.

The standard for beautifully crafted, heritage focused (and particularly London centric) gin is incredibly high. There were many new gins at Imbibe who put providence at the centre of their brand. From Camden Lock to the City of London – where (and what borough) it’s produced in is more important than ever.

Gin brands are also exploring alternative flavours and even colour concoctions to entice customers, we tasted gin infused with tea and found more than one pink gin (using pink based fruits as ingredients). It was interesting to observe that these playful, quintessential British flavours were predominantly supported by illustration. Its distinctive use with gin brings out the British heritage, a home-grown feel that all these new gins are trying to convey.

Complementing the extremes of health vs pleasure we’ve observed in millennial behaviour, there are a number of health focused soft drinks coming to the market. These are being targeted as both exercise aids and additions for cocktails (we were reassured you could add vodka!). There is no longer a gap between targeting gyms or night clubs, welcome to hangover cure cocktails!

Tapping into the trend for extreme sweet and sour flavours as a way to add even more alternative flavour concoctions for cocktails, we found more than one mixer challenging our taste buds. These included a pickled mixer chased with whisky. Beautifully designed and a great idea but certainly a marmite choice!

Finally, craft beer is here to stay. This trend is going from strength to strength, with no sign of slowing down. The standard of design is incredibly high, with provenance also a key focus.

It’s an exciting time to work with the drinks industry, there is nothing like being kept on your toes.