Softly does it

While the party season is in full swing, not everyone wants to indulge in alcoholic drinks for various reasons but they can still enjoy a night out with an ever-growing range of soft drinks and mixers on the market. Drinks Industry Ireland surveys the soft drinks and mixers market

Thanks to the growing mixer market with continual product innovation, consumers now have plenty of options in terms of flavour and pairing with spirits. Drinks made with natural ingredients and free from artificial flavouring or preservatives and maybe most importantly, low in sugar, are what consumers are seeking out. According to Susan Weldon, marketing manager of Britvic Ireland, “The sign of a sophisticated mixer is when they can be enjoyed in any form – with or without a spirit – to satisfy all drinking occasions and preferences.” Over the past few years, we’ve seen a shift towards premiumisation in the mixer category, with consumers drinking less but better quality liquids. Lighter, lower calorie drinks are bringing some excitement into this previously overlooked category.
Again this year, Coco-Cola is running the Designated Driver campaign as a way to highlight the face that there needs to be a non-drinker among the group to get everyone home safely. Many people are now happy to be ‘Dessie’ because the choice of soft drink has expanded so widely so they can also enjoy a great selection of drinks rather than just enduring their night for the sake of others to have a good time.

A unique effervescence

Founded in 1783 by Jacob Schweppe, Schweppes offers a range of delicately balanced mixers, created with carefully selected ingredients for mixing drinks and quenching your thirst. As Ireland’s number one mixer, Schweppes continues to bring bubbles into consumers’ lives through its unique effervescence and sparkling campaigns. This year has seen some exciting changes for the brand, with the launch of the new ‘Born Social’ marketing campaign. Inviting people to step out of their normal routine instead of playing it safe. Schweppes is bringing back socialising with a twist. With the aim of elevating the socialising experience, turning everlasting bubbles into everlasting experiences.

Bring home the magic this Christmas

 

For Christmas 2024, Coca-Cola is lighting up the season with real magic, reminding us all that even the smallest act of Christmas kindness can awaken the spirit of Santa in everyone.
As the brand that brought Santa to life, Coca-Cola is once again turning festive kindness into a global movement, showing how a simple gesture can multiply and create real magic across the world.
This year’s Coca-Cola Christmas campaign will show consumers that kindness has the power to travel far and wide. Once ignited, a single act can create a ripple effect.
In the spirit of giving, Coca-Cola is offering a chance to win cash prizes to bring real magic to Coca-Cola drinking moments. Through an on-pack promotion, consumers will have chances to win instant cash prizes along with entry into a weekly draw to win a large cash prize.
Running from 4 November until the end of December, this multi-faceted campaign will come to life through various touchpoints including TV, video on demand, cinema, radio, out-of-home, experiential, PR, in-store theatre, and POS support.
Stock up on the festive promotional packs to offer your customers a chance to win.

Coca-Cola’s 20th Designated Driver campaign

TV presenter and former Olympian Greg O’Shea has teamed up with Coca-Cola HBC and its brand partner, The Coca-Cola Company, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Designated Driver campaign, which is rewarding drivers who ensure their friends and family get home safely during this festive season. With road safety remaining a top priority, the Designated Driver campaign is more important than ever before.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary, over 350 venues across the island of Ireland will participate in this year’s campaign. Drivers can grab two soft drinks from the Coca-Cola range for free, by simply making themselves known to bar staff.
While traffic-related fatalities are slightly reduced in 2024 vs 2023 (149 vs 165) *, O’ Shea hopes to take the wheel and push the Designated Driver message home to young people across Ireland.
According to O’Shea, “I love celebrating and enjoying night’s out with my friends and family, but there is no better feeling than making sure they all make it home safe and sound. So, this Christmas, I’m hoping the people of Ireland can join me and Coca-Cola as the designated driver, even for one night, this Christmas.”
The Designated Driver campaign is supported by the Department of Transport, the Road Safety Authority (RSA), An Garda Síochána, Drinkaware, and various hospitality industry bodies in the Republic of Ireland.
Designated Drivers can download the Coca-Cola app to find out more about Coca-Cola’s participating venues.

Mix with the best

Fever-Tree was founded by Charles Rolls and Tim Warrillow in 2005, pioneering a new premium mixer drink category worldwide. Fever-Tree was launched under one simple premise, if three quarters of your drink is the mixer, mix with the best. All ingredients are naturally sourced from around the world and free from artificial flavouring or preservatives, Fever-Tree was designed to change the status quo and put the quality back into the mixer category.
In 2013, Richmond Marketing introduced the Fever-Tree range of mixers to the Irish market and has since become Ireland’s No 1 premium mixer brand. Throughout the past 10 years, we’ve seen a market-wide shift towards premiumisation with Fever-Tree pioneering the premium mixer category, bringing choice, quality and excitement back into the previously overlooked space.
Fever-Tree now offers one of the market’s most expansive mixer ranges encompassing Flavoured Tonics, Ginger Ale, Ginger Beer, Soda Water, Mexican Lime Soda Water and most recently, Pink Grapefruit Soda, which is made using naturally sourced ingredients to achieve the perfectly balanced, bitter-yet-sweet flavour with fresh and floral notes.
For the last 10 years, the industry experts at Drinks International have been tracking the growth of mixers as a category. Fever-Tree is proud to be voted No.1 Bestselling and Top Trending mixer by the world’s best bars.
For more information, please visit www.fever-tree.com

Accentuating the finest spirits

At the forefront of the evolving lighter drinking movement is London Essence, producing elegantly distilled mixers designed to accentuate the finest spirits. Each expression is delicately light at under 20kcal per 100ml, low in sugar at under 4g per 100ml and is crafted without the use of artificial sweeteners, thanks to its unique use of distilled essences.
Susan Weldon, marketing manager at Britvic Ireland said: “Following the long-term trend towards sugar reduction across the world, and being consumers of premium drinks ourselves, we found that many “premium” options focused on natural credentials but were also very high in sugar. It’s important to deliver light, natural options that also have great taste to ensure overall enjoyment.”
London Essence also recognised that high-sugar mixers often overpowered the characteristics of the spirit partner, instead of enhancing them.
The London Essence range is designed to bring out the best in gins, vodkas and dark spirits through mixer varieties including Original Indian Tonic Water, Grapefruit & Rosemary Tonic, Blood Orange & Elderflower Tonic, Pomelo and Pink Peppercorn Tonic Water as well as a delicate Ginger Ale and a Spiced Ginger Beer. Crafted Soda range includes Pink Grapefruit, White Peach & Jasmine and Roasted Pineapple.