The tastes and preferences among drinkers is changing, according to a recent report from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). 

While beer remains the alcoholic beverage of choice, reports the Beer Marketer's Insights, customers are trading up to purchase more wine and spirits in general, and more high-end beer, wine and spirits in particular. 

The overall distilled spirits market grew 4.5 percent in 2012 to reach $21.3 billion in supplier gross revenues, DISCUS reports.  Importantly, the high-end and super-premium segments of the market drove the overall industry's growth.  The high-end priced segment rose 4.8 percent from 2011 to 2012 and super-premium was up even more at 8.9 percent.  By contrast, the value-priced, up only 1.8 percent, and the premium segments, up only 2.1 percent, lagged.

With more consumers choosing the high-end of the distilled spirits market, meeting the needs and desires of the affluent customers with their greater spending power and unique preferences is the key for marketers to find future growth and success for their brands.  To provide marketing-focused insights, information and understanding of the affluent wine, spirits and beer consumer market is the goal of a new Unity Marketing study. 

The next wave of Unity Marketing's Luxury Tracking Study will include a special investigation among 1,200+ affluent consumers, top 20 percent of U.S. households based on income, surveying on their high-end and luxury wine, spirits and craft beer preferences.

Companies can sponsor exclusive questions for a new luxury consumer wine, spirits and beer survey

In the upcoming 2Q2013 Luxury Tracking quarterly survey to be fielded in early July, Unity Marketing will sort through the confusion surrounding customer choices when buying luxury wine, spirits and craft beer, giving clarity to a complex retail area. Marketers and retailers can participate in this important investigation into the mindset and purchase behavior of 1,200+ affluent consumers (top 20 percent of incomes starting at $100,000) by adding exclusive questions and guiding the research objectives. 

Unity Marketing's survey that will delve into these aspects and more of affluents' wine, spirits and craft beer purchases and behavior:

• Purchase choices for 2013 - Will they be buying new wine to store and enjoy in the future?  High-end whiskey, or flavored vodka?  Craft beer on premise or to enjoy at home? 
• On premise or off?  Do brand preferences and purchase choices change on premise as compared with off premise?
• Where will they shop - What is their destination of choice for wine, spirits and beer - grocery store, discount store, warehouse outlet, specialty wine and spirits store, online?
• What attracts them most about their favorite destination - price, service, brands, variety of choices, sales, discounts, coupons, loyalty reward programs, etc.?
• How much will they spend - How much do they spend for their drink of choice on-premise and off?  How much in total do they spent on wine, spirits, and craft beer? Are they spending more less or the same?  What influences their budgeting for distilled spirits?
• Role of experiences in spirits purchases - Do they visit wineries, breweries, distillers?  Do these visit influence their brand loyalty? 
• What wine, spirits and beer brands do they prefer - From a carefully vetted list of brands, the luxury consumers will rate their favorite brands.

For wine, spirits and craft beer brands and their distribution partners, it is critically important to predict, understand, and respond to the needs and desires of the high-spending, affluent customer. This study will provide marketers new understanding of the luxury customers' mindset and behavior, and this understanding is at the heart of successful product development, marketing, advertising, branding and merchandising decisions.

Your company can participate as a sponsor in this special investigation to answer the important questions you have about the affluent consumer

This special study will tell you who is buying, what items they are purchasing, what brands attract them most, and what their motivations are.  Your organization will understand the needs and wants of your most highly-prized customers - the affluent - in order to improve the effectiveness of marketing, branding and business strategies.
 
Unity Marketing's ability to analyze and report on this data means that you will have the information you need to confidently make branding, advertising and marketing decisions with your specific target customer in mind.

To learn more about sponsoring this research initiative, click HERE.

About Pam Danziger and Unity Marketing
Pamela N. Danziger is an internationally recognized expert specializing in consumer insights for marketers targeting the affluent consumer.  She is president of Unity Marketing, a marketing consulting firm she founded in 1992. Pam received the 2007 Global Luxury Award for top luxury industry achievers presented at the Global Luxury Forum by Harper's Bazaar. Luxury Daily named Pam to its list of  "Women to Watch in 2013."