Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/10329
BRAND PROFILE for bartenders,” Washington says. “What that means is that the brand was developed with bartenders, who were very much involved with everything from the packaging, the liquid, the fl a- vors—even the name itself. This is what is really unique about EFFEN versus other vodkas. That’s why we want to stay true to our roots and continue to work closely with bartenders.” Chicago will remain a focus, but Washington says EFFEN plans to connect directly with bartenders and consumers who are passionate about design, culture and style in other cities this year to drive growth. EFFEN’s new advertising campaign launched in April, called “Provocatively Premium,” targets Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Milwaukee and, of course, Chicago. The print, out-of-home and digital media campaign also plays on EFFEN’s evocative name. Ah, the name. EFFEN, which is made in Groningen, Holland, means “smooth” in Dutch. The vodka gets its taste from its base ingredient—pre- mium wheat—as opposed to other vodkas derived from potatoes, corn, soy, grain or grapes. Couple that with a distillation process that runs the liquid through giant stainless steel columns hundreds of times and then fi lters it through a carbon-based fi ltration sys- tem, and the result is a crisp, balanced and clean taste. EFFEN, with its unique bartender-friendly rubber wrapping around the sleek bottle, also has scored with its EFFEN Black Cherry and EFFEN Raspberry expressions. “EFFEN is still relatively young as EFFEN Brand Director Kim Washington works closely with bartenders and owners. In the arena of premium vodka, EFFEN is attracting fans one bartender and one patron at a time. EFFEN burst onto the scene in Chicago in 2003 when a group of entre- preneurial bartenders looked to create a premium vodka that appealed to the tastes and standards of bartenders and mixologists. The brand, acquired from Sazerac Company in June 2009 by Beam Global Spirits & Wine, has steadily built a following in the on- and off-premise across several markets, including Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and New York. “We had knowledge and history 98 / the tasting panel / may 2010 about the brand,” says Kim Washington, Director of EFFEN for Beam Global, based in nearby Deerfi eld, IL. “It’s very interesting. Consumers know a lot about the brand already. So since we acquired it, we’ve spent a lot time understanding what made it successful in Chicago.” The strategy was and still is simply this: Introduce EFFEN to bartenders, who then get it into the hands of the customers. While EFFEN is available globally, the main focus has been to build grassroots momentum in bars and restaurants. “EFFEN was designed by bartenders far as brands go,” Washington says. “It really adds nicely to our vodka portfolio. We have several large vodka brands, but this is a really high-end super-premium brand for us.” www.effenvodka.com EFFEN was designed by bartenders for bartenders.”