Marketing to Millennials: Speakeasy Style

THE BOOZE BIN

by Rosalie Morton (@rosaliemo)

We were having an agency brainstorm for a booze client prospect last Friday, and the conversation turned to millennials: what makes them tick and how to market to them.

All I needed was an opening, and I readily launched into my take on millennials, as “researched” and “proven” purely anecdotally by moi ;-).

Millennials LOVE to be transported from our everyday lives. When we were younger, we were captivated by the magic of Harry Potter or a trip to Disneyland. As we grew older we found ourselves enthralled with musical theater, which experienced resurgence, from “Wicked” to “Spring Awakening” and  “The Book of Mormon.”

Millennials grew up loving the idea of being taken to another world, beyond the everyday.

And, this has translated to how and where we choose to enjoy libations. Nope, normal bars just aren’t good enough for this generation. Millennials continue to seek mystery and magic, but this time, in the form of the speakeasy. Speakeasies have been cropping up like mushrooms over the past five years and for good reason. Like Disneyland and Harry Potter, speakeasies transport us, and we millennials just can’t get enough.

Here are my three favorites:

-          The Edison (Los Angeles)-  Pretty sure their website says it all (seriously, clicky clicky). When you go down the staircase at the Edison, you transcend time. Old movies flicker on the back wall, while absinthe fairies walk around with carts full of small vials of the tasty bevvy. Many party-goers dress for the occasion, in zoot suits and flapper dresses. And the drink menu… don’t even get this bourbon lover started. Drink of choice: The Edison (Edison Woodford Reserve Limited Edition Bourbon, Pear Brandy, clover honey syrup and fresh squeezed lime juice).

-          The Bourbon and Branch (San Francisco)- I went to the Bourbon and Branch because they serve my favorite cocktail of all time (more on that below). Plus, to get in, you need to make a reservation online… okay fine. But it gets better! Then, they send you email, which instructs you to ring the doorbell at a door at 501 Jones St., and wait for someone to ask you for a password. Ours was “struggle.” When you enter, the bar is lined with mixologists crafting whiskey wonders including the Revolver (Bulleit Bourbon, Tia Maria coffee liqueur, orange bitters, light a piece of peel on fire and drop in).

-          Angel’s Share (East Village)- Angel’s Share goes the “bar within a bar” route. Enter the raucous Village Yokocho Japanese Grill, and hang a left. Walk behind the curtain and bam, you find yourself in Angel’s Share, a speakeasy with a Japanese flair. For me? The Stormy Weather (Apple & Cinnamon-infused rye whiskey, fresh lime juice, ginger flavored wine, ground ginger and ginger ale).

A few honorable mentions: The Varnish (Los Angeles), PX (Alexandria, VA), Please Don’t Tell (East Village), and The Basement Tavern at the Victorian (Santa Monica)…

So, what do you think about marketing to the millennials?

About Rosalie Morton:

As a senior account executive, Rosalie CRT/tanaka clients’ traditional and social media relations initiatives and provides crisis counsel. She has successfully placed speakers at high-profile industry conferences, submitted winning award entries, planned events and media tours, managed social media campaigns, served as editor for client blogs and garnered placements in top-tier traditional and social media. She can often be seen on the third floor of the Richmond office, trying to find her dog, Petey, who has most likely snuck into someone else's office to beg for food.