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Taking Raspberry Crush to #1

Smirnoff Raspberry Crush Occasion Spritz
The challenge

Smirnoff want­ed to seize the oppor­tu­ni­ty to make their flavours range future fit and as pop­u­lar as their cat­e­go­ry top-sell­ing unflavoured vod­ka. To do this, Smirnoff need­ed a two-step approach. First­ly, to under­stand Gen Z drinkers’ expec­ta­tions of the cat­e­go­ry and what Smirnoff could bring to the par­ty. Sec­ond­ly, to cre­ate a new flavoured vod­ka range that would stand out from the crowd and unlock lucra­tive growth.

Key successes
  • Uncovered deep insight into flavoured-vodka drinkers’ motivations and experiences through ethnography and semiotic analysis.
  • Defined the winning combination of benefits, sensory qualities and pack design elements with creative consumers to deliver a compelling new range proposition.
  • Created Smirnoff Raspberry Crush - through a collaborative approach with other MMR family brands, taking the new product from concept to shelf 
  • Sent Smirnoff Raspberry Crush to #1 in the flavoured vodka category in 12 weeks, generating £6M sales in its first 10 weeks in the UK alone.
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A consumer-led vision of perfection

We led an inspiring co-creation workshop with consumers to get under the skin of what they really wanted from a flavoured vodka. Through a range of creative exercises and tastings, our strategists and MMR sensory scientists worked with consumers to define their vision of flavoured vodka perfection.

Weaving the threads together

Our strategic debrief put our brand fluency philosophy into action. The recommendations covered how Smirnoff could deliver consumers’ ideal flavoured vodka experience - through a coherent proposition that encompassed flavour, liquid appearance, packaging design and messaging, all while staying on-brand. This led to an exciting product that the target audience connected with instantly and a clear strategy for Smirnoff to grow the range.

Methodology
  • 01
    Explore
    Digital and f2f ethnography with Gen Z drinkers. MMR’s sensory team explored sensory qualities of competitor products and global ingredient trends.
  • 02
    Define
    A creative workshop with consumers to identity the winning combination of benefits, sensory qualities and packaging design elements.
  • 03
    Create
    Prototype creation of the liquid and packaging in collaboration with Smirnoff. A communication brief outlining how to communicate the product in store, online and in bars.
  • 04
    Test
    Validation of the new liquid and packaging design with our colleagues at MMR.
  • Nick Payman, Head of Smirnoff "The vibrancy of the new pack and liquid, from its color to its taste, will provide maximum shelf stand out and menu appeal for the trade to capitalize on."