Mike Cessario

Let's talk a little bit about category reinvention. I've seen multiple posts lately handwringing about new category entrants or new categories that aren't "worth paying so much for." One example was a post about the NA beverage category. The critique boiled down to this: why pay a ton for wine that is "just juice" or "cocktails" that are just sugar, water and additives? The author even goes as far as to argue that it's not worth paying for because you could mix mocktails at home by yourself. I don't disagree that flavor and other alcohol-like qualities (bite, burn, etc.) could be improved in the alternatives. And, yes, many products can be (re)created at home with time, money and access to the right ingredients. However, this is part of the growth and maturation cycle of most categories: ➡ New alternatives emerge at a higher price point ➡ Marketing dollars are put behind them ➡ Consumers compare them to the established product(s) they know and find things they don't like & established players fight back with their own claims and content ➡ Even more new alternatives emerge to address the pushback, some at premium price points ➡ The main players add to their portfolios or hold firm ➡ Some brands survive; some don't ➡ The dust settles and the category is redefined to include the alternatives We've seen this before in many other CPG categories when they first entered the market: -People complained about paying more for soy milk in their coffee and even spread false information about soy altering the male body -Natural / non-toxic household cleaners were all labeled as part of "greenwashing" and bloggers argued for making your own with vinegar -Greek yogurt was criticized for having less calcium and for using "fillers" instead of true craft straining technique -Etc Beyond this, it's critically important to consider the role of occasion and brand. For the NA category, holding a sharply designed can in your hand helps you feel at home among hard seltzer and beer drinkers, even if the taste or burn isn't the same. And let's not forget brand - that ephemeral, magical something - that makes old and new players alike unstoppable, even if the product itself isn't drastically new(hello, Liquid Death!) When I was pregnant, I too sought meaningful alternatives to drinking alcohol. Some were great in taste; some weren't. Some gave me a booze-like mouthfeel; others didn't. But I certainly had more options than a person in my shoes 5 years ago. And as both a consumer and marketer, I'm confident NA products will continue to optimize and improve (as they always do). #marketing #categoryreinvention #brand

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