Those Crafty (Beer) Millennials!
Millennials seem to be changing everything these days. Their spending power alone gives them the right to dictate what succeeds or bombs miserably in today’s marketplace. Take the craft beer category for example – it has exploded due to millennials revolting against traditional beer brands in favor of unique flavor profiles, local brew options, seasonal varietals and tasty beer served in really cool glasses.
Slingshot recently reported that 87% of millennials drank a beer in the last week. And on a weekly basis, 54% of millennials are looking to try a new beer. Millennials want variety, and they want to imbibe with beverages that are more reflective of their own unique personality than that of their grandparents.
Yet millennials are persnickety – they like what they like, and they make sure everyone in their social circle know how they feel pretty much at all times. They are a difficult segment to please given their quest for variety married with authenticity.
As the craft beer category grows in popularity and size, brands will have to look for ways to differentiate themselves from one another. According to Mintel, inspiring trial of novel flavors that offer some degree of familiarity, such as through the use of recognizable products and taste profiles, appears as a tactic that keeps the category dynamic. We’re talking breakfast stout, chili pepper beer, even bacon lager!
