TAKING ADVANTAGE OF CATEGORY GROWTH
The compelling opportunity for NIO Cocktails was to take advantage of the ready-to-drink (RTD) category growth, which is expected to outperform the total alcohol sector by 8% in the year 2025 across 10 key markets (The Spirits Business 2022). It was imperative for NIO Cocktails to continue its rein as the leading direct to consumer RTD cocktail in the likes of Italy, UK and Germany. This new phase of its brand ambition and growth, needed to put consumer connection and premiumization at the forefront of its refreshed brand strategy and iconic assets.
PERFECTED UNDERSTANDING OF THE LUXURY SPIRIT CATEGORY
Kinship’s exceptionally tuned and perfected understanding of luxury spirit semiotics, design and storytelling led the way in defining the strategic brief. To effectively represent NIO’s unique positioning and cocktail expertise through ownable assets and elevated imagery, worthy of a premium cocktail experience – revolutionizing what people enjoy when at home.
ALIGNING THE VISUAL EQUITY TO CONNECT WITH THE CONSUMER
Embracing NIO Cocktails proposition and tag line ‘Life deserves more cocktails’ the brand needed to move from its current confused visual identity to a reformulated and elevated approach. Aligning the visual equities and semiotic cues that would connect most with consumer and a cocktail occasion in everyone’s home.
INCREASE THE PREMIUM EQUITY OF THE BRAND
NIO Cocktails provide cocktail variety for consumers and are the combination of world class mixology, distilled in the simplest form – Needs Ice Only. The conception of a bold pattern inspired by the iconic shapes from the pack and garnishes communicate variety for consumers across its multipacks and consumer channel communications. Parallel to this the storytelling principles were defined to communicate wholesome warmth – something important to the consumer but also increase the premium equity of the brand.
INCREASED ENGAGEMENT, GROWTH AND CHANNEL TRAFFIC
Launching at the end of the summer, the NIO Cocktails increased engagement and traffic across all channels driving more effective decision making to purchase. The refresh has been most effective with using the new iconic graphic assets and aspirational lifestyle imagery, inspiring at home curation and display of cocktails within the home and reformulating the user experience within the confines of the website. The overall refresh has connected with the consumer across social and point of purchase touchpoints with strong results – growing the brand and expanding into new markets such as the United States of America.
