The Power of Advertising

We have all succumbed to the power of really good marketing. We’ve even succumbed to the power of really bad advertising. What we’ve noticed is that there isn’t a lot of money spent on marketing or advertising for Gin.

When was the last time you saw a billboard for Gin?
When was the last time you saw a TV commercial for Gin?

The last significant advertisement I saw featured Upton Sinclair, the quirky nouveau riche smart suit wearing Brit with a silly line, “Do you Tanqueray?” They pushed that “mascot” pretty hard a few years back. The success of Sinclair also brought about the moderate success of Rangpur, which the Lady of the House really likes over ice with soda water (it’s a cheap girl’s drink). Really, though, Tanqueray is a nice gin that is reasonably priced, found in bulk at big-box stores, as well as having a great look. Ten is their top shelf premium edition, which is as beautiful a bottle as the gin is good.

However, where I currently find the best, possibly unintentional, advertising for alcohol is found in Pottery Barn. I love to look at their sparkly bar wear and see what they consider fashionable or “attractive” liquor. Now, they don’t make it easy to read the labels, because that wouldn’t be artistic enough for their set designers. However, it is easy enough to figure out what is there, since bottles like Corona and S. Pellegrino have distinctive shapes and colors. Interestingly enough the last edition of their catalog featured:
• Citadel Gin
• Gin No. 209
• Bombay Sapphire Gin
• Pimm’s
• Hanger 1 Vodka (plain)
• Blue Coat Gin
• Campari
• Absolute Melon Vodka

It really makes me wonder how many middle-class soccer Mom’s and catalog enthusiasts are now picking up No. 209 (since it was easiest to read) in their local liquor store. Will there now be a vogue of pool parties with melon ball skewers in their Melon Vodka Tonics? Is there now a run on Victorian Lemonade and S. Pellegrino to pack in their vintage style aluminum buckets?

Or am I giving Pottery Barn too much credit? Maybe I should pick up a Wal-Mart or Target ad and see what they consider chic alcohol.