Rhubarb, Raspberry, Elderflower, Orange, Ginger… These are just a few of the different types of gins available these days. The lists are ENDLESS, and in some bars it’s no longer just a list, it’s a mini book! Gin has really become the latest fad, it is no longer a question of can I have a gin and tonic, it is now all about, what type of gin and what is the best way to serve it? This, may I add, is a real nightmare for someone like myself who has just about managed to decide what type of drink to have, and now I am being asked to pick my specific gin. Each of these gins coming with its ‘best served’ option with a particular mixer and garnish. My current go-to is a Malfy (Italian gin) with a bitter lemonade, served with mint and lemon, but I change it about all the time, trying new ones recommended by the bartender. Before this I was on a Jawbox (Belfast gin) with Ginger ale and served with lime and honeycomb. If you haven’t tried any I would recommend both of these gins (shown below).
Just when I thought the types couldn’t possibly get any stranger I discovered a gin online the other day, which to some extent, I found quite humorous. An anti-aging gin… Yes, you heard it here! I am being 100% serious. This is a gin called ‘Age-agin’ which has a mix of anti-aging botanicals added to it, making it the world’s first anti-ageing gin. So, not only is there basically every flavour you could possibly imagine when it comes to gin, in every colour, from whatever origin you fancy… But we now have a gin targeting wrinkes! It’s branded by its creators as ‘the alcoholic equivalent of a facial.’ Who’s giving it a go?
I wanted to know exactly who came up with this, what made someone think, “Yes, gin and anti-aging.” The answer being another unexpected one, the Warner Leisure Hotel Group. So, now we have the combination of three potentially unrelated industries in devising this product; the skin care industry, the drinks industry and the hotel industry. It was created in response to a strategy to attract a younger clientele to the hotel. They carried out research that highlighted gin was consistently one of the most popular drinks for British adults 55+. Therefore, why not create a gin that has a two-in-one effect for an aging demographic? The head of marketing for the hotel group claim they have updated the classic gin and tonic to a ‘skin and tonic.’ The campaign itself was launched alongside the Queens 90th birthday, a pretty risky move with the competitive news stories about the queen hogging the news that day. For you non-PR people, basically all the news would have been focused on the queen and therefore would have been a challenge to get adequate coverage. But, this was not a problem as the campaign resulted in more than anticipated global coverage.
I personally think this is a brilliant campaign and an extremely clever response to the hotel’s aim. It may have been a risky enough approach to attracting a younger age for the hotel group but I think taking a brave entrepreneurial action such as this to really get yourself heard is important in today’s current business climate. In terms of the whole gin fad, I am guilty of getting caught up in it, paying sometimes as much as nearly fifteen pounds for this “perfect” gin with the three “perfectly” matching raspberries alongside it. But, it is delicious so can I really complain?
Niamh Webb is a final year BSc in Communication, Advertising & Marketing student at Ulster University. She can be contacted on Twitter @1234niamh, and on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niamh-webb-2b5260107/