Bye Bye Dry
Is it time to ditch ‘Dry January’?
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‘Dry January’ has become a key time for non-alc brands, targeting post-Christmas detoxes and fresh resolutions. But, with the category still working hard to solidify its place in consumer’s regular drinks repertoires, is this campaign of temporary abstinence actually doing it more harm than good?
With a blank slate before us, the New Year is a time we try to do better, be a little healthier, a little more disciplined. It’s a fresh start. Yet, with cold weather, short daylight hours, and the Christmas comedown all too real, January is also one of those months you just have to ‘get through’.
‘Dry January’ taps into both moods. Now a firm fixture on the calendar, each year it dominates headlines, springboarding non-alc marketing campaigns and new launches. According to new data from Alcohol Change UK, it’s estimated 8.5 million will take part this year. That’s huge. But is this season of abstinence actually doing the category more harm than good?
Breaking down barriers
Though non-alc products answer a clear and growing need, beyond beer, it hasn’t been smooth sailing when it comes to getting consumers to embrace them. The world’s first non-alc spirit, Seedlip, launched just eight years ago. And despite the rapid flurry of innovation that’s followed, many consumers still don’t quite understand what they’re for, why or even how they should drink them… and why they cost so damn much. For those that have embraced them, they’re still not widely, reliably available.
So, is ‘Dry January’ helpful in breaking down these barriers to mainstream awareness and success? Defined by what it isn’t, rather than what it is, by its very name, non-alc has been associated with compromise. This concentrated month of abstinence doesn’t embed their consumption as a positive, regular, ongoing habit, but instead as something short term to ‘survive’.
Have a google of this year’s ‘Dry January’ headlines for a taste of how it’s now perceived. Sure there’s some that champion it as a positive break for those that need it, and it is. But there’s many more that frame it as something miserable to trudge through.
Long term habits
Secondly, it’s not forming long term habits. One of the biggest barriers to growth for non-alc spirits lies in not successfully claiming a regular moment or an occasion in a consumer’s lifestyle, and a serve to go alongside it. In full-strength these habits are established. Summer? It must be spritz time. To match a meal? Give me a wine.
This problem is especially true for the growing number of brands that are not aligned with full-strength products. It might be simple for consumers to know when and how to use a direct spirit replacement, such as a gin-alike. But something like Three Spirit, Everleaf, or Sentia, that don’t replicate full-strength spirits, is much harder. ‘Dry January’ does little to promote serves, or regular consumption moments, that will give brands greater relevance, year-round. And that’s a problem.
Abstinence, not moderation?
But perhaps one of the biggest issues for brands, is that it promotes abstinence, not moderation. There is of course a market for those that want or need to cut out alcohol completely. But there’s a bigger one for those that wish to moderate, spacing out a night of drinking with no or low options, or taking a few days off.
According to Alcohol Change UK, a quarter of drinkers intend to reduce their alcohol consumption throughout 2024. Many brands market themselves as an integrated way to take a moment out, rather than stop drinking entirely. Yet ‘Dry January’ fails to educate consumers on how non-alc options can form part of a balanced, year-round, approach to booze, or helps establish these habits.
Limited reach
‘Dry January ‘doesn’t realistically reflect how consumers live their lives year-round. And for brands, nor does it tackle the barriers to more mainstream consumption. It’s been interesting to see that this year, brand activity has been notably quieter than in previous years, suggesting many are learning just that. After all, a non-alc spirit is not just for January.
Will ‘Dry January’ live to see another year? Undoubtedly. But should non-alc brands find a more positive, effective, and consistent message to get behind? For sure.