At Club Soda’s No, Low & Mid-Strength Summit, a session hosted by Nudge PR explored how trade and consumer media can amplify the fast-evolving low & no category. Jo Gilbert reports from the panel.
Few drinks categories have undergone such a rapid transformation, or created such fierce competition, as low & no alcohol. And few people know the pace of this transformation better than journalists and influencers, who often find themselves wading through a sea of ‘better-for-you’ launches, each trying to break water in the battle for sales and attention.
So how to stand out in a crowded marketplace was a key topic at Club Soda’s latest summit, where a panel of voices from across the media and communications landscape united under the header Why Trade & Consumer Media Matter to unpack what makes a brand story resonate in a noisy sector.
Why now?
Drawing from Drinks Retailing’s experience of receiving upwards of a dozen low & no launches a week, I was keen to highlight a shift in understanding and defining the category. While low & no once positioned itself primarily as an ‘alternative’ category, a wider recalibration is afoot: it is no longer simply about abstinence or alcohol denial, but part of a broader drinks repertoire dictated by mood or occasion.
Ten years into the category, it’s clear consumers aren’t necessarily ‘not drinking’ when they opt for a zero beverage, they’re just not drinking right now. Brands that can frame that context and show how they’re helping to evolve the category will be the ones to grab a journalist’s attention.
The question brands have to ask, therefore, is: “Why? What’s my reason for being? What do I offer and – most importantly – why now?”
Self-branding and authenticity
Aidy Smith – who stands in both traditional media and the influencer space – challenged brands to ask themselves a similarly simple question when pitching to journalists or creators.
The question, he said, is: “So what? Why would I want to write about this? Research and stats turn me on and give me something my audience can learn from. You can have the best liquid in the world, but if you yourself aren’t out there building recognition and trust, you’ll struggle. Self branding is essential. Post on LinkedIn, have conversations, be visible. The personality behind the brand is integral to its success.”
Credibility as currency
Imme Ermgassen, co-founder of non-alcoholic aperitif brand Botivo, was similarly concerned with occasion and also credibility. She stressed the role of trade media as a trusted source of information, particularly as: “We’ve all been burnt in the past by liquids that weren’t up to par when the category was in its infancy. So the first question should be: how do we gain credibility with trade, with bartenders, with consumers?”
Also crucial to the development of the category is the importance of founder stories as building blocks which will help to build brands from the ground up. Ermgassen stressed: “Non-alcoholic brands don’t have centuries of heritage, so they have to create that connection another way. Founder stories are your history. In premium drinks, people want history and human stories.”
Small budgets, big impact
When asked how early-stage brands can gain traction without big budgets, Denise Hamilton-Mace, who speaks daily to mindful drinkers through her Low No Drinker magazine and companion podcast Mindful Drinking & Moderation in Midlife, encouraged clarity over scale. This includes leaning on local networks such as community media, independent retailers and micro-influencers.
Balancing big and small
There will always be challenges for smaller brands. As Hamilton-Mace said: “Big players dominate shelf space. They’re the ones with budgets to put low & no on TV, at Wimbledon, at the rugby and make the category visible.”
But smaller craft producers are essential to the ecosystem. They are agile enough to respond quickly to trends, from sustainability to taste and design, and they are where emotional connections can be established.
By the end of the discussion, the unifying message was clear: low & no isn’t just about selling non-alcoholic content – it’s about selling identity, belonging and positive participation. In a category still finding its voice, that story might just be the thing that cuts through.
