Brand Elasticity

Living in New Hampshire has many advantages just one of which is the excellent range (and price) offered by the NH State Liquor store, my most recent visit added yet more value. A fascinating example of brand elasticity.

Can you imagine drinking a wine branded Smirnoff? Or Kettle One? Or Stolichnaya? Nor me – but could it work the other way around, a Vodka called Mouton Cadet? No. A whisky named Chateau Latour? No again, although maybe a brandy ..…?

It all depends on the associations the name carries and the delightfully named Cupcake Wine does seem to me to carry off the tricky task of being appropriate for Vodka too.

For the record Cupcake is not the product of a small eccentric producer but marketed by The Wine Group, the 3rd largest US wine producer and behind numerous other brands including Franzia claimed to be the worlds most popular wine box.

The Wine Group was formed by (amongst other purchases) the acquisition of Coca-Colas wine interests, clearly there’s marketing in its DNA.