Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/61075
DEPARTMENT HEADER THE NEW CELEBRITY-BACKED VODKA IS ONE-OF-A-KIND by Lana Bortolot C all Voli a new kind of French paradox: a delicious vice that should be "bad" for you but somehow ends up possibly being good for you. Produced in France, the vodka's placement in the trendiest venues and the fact that it's in arguably the most social of the spirits category should wave a cautionary flag. But the vodka's lower calories and alcohol by volume help nudge it toward a more virtuous path. So, just as the French drink their red wines and eat their brie and croissants and enjoy good health, so might vodka drinkers have their vitality along with their vices. The new and only entrant of its kind in the category, Voli has the potential to capture not only the young, calorie- and health-conscious consumer group, but to be a game-changer in the previously untapped market of calorie-conscious spirits. However, the journey is not without a few challenges, says Adam Kamenstein, the Los Angeles–based CEO of Voli Light Vodkas. "Even though we're not just another vodka, that's still how we're initially perceived by some buyers," he says. "People's initial reaction was 'Who needs another one?' So, we needed to clearly communicate that we are a vastly differentiated brand and not another 'me-too product.' We are, in fact, pioneering a new spirits category for which there is extraordinary consumer demand. We are at the forefront of a mega-trend. " To help do that, the brand recently enlisted two of the entertainment industry's hot, bright stars: Black Eyed Peas chanteuse Fergie and Latin rapper Pitbull, both of whom are investors in Voli. The mono-named celebrities bring multi- dimensions to the brand with their energy and sex appeal across a wide demographic. "Fergie and Pitbull go beyond the celebrity endorsement: They represent a lifestyle for the brand and they both really wanted to be part of something new," says Erin Harris, Voli's Chief Marketing Officer. The Social Network Another reason to tap the celebs? Their ability to reach and influence vast audiences through social media. Together they boast more than 22.9 million Facebook likes and more than 4.2 million followers on Twitter. And harnessing that power is a key communications strategy for the brand. "When you compare the velocity of getting the message out via digital media, even compared to TV, it's so much faster and more direct," Harris says. Kamenstein agrees: "Their reach is extraordinary, and their voices are so loud, they can cut through the cacophony. Who else can instantly let 4.5 million people know there's a delicious cocktail on the menu at our best customers." If Fergie attracts young women, Pitbull provides the counterbalance with his large audience of young men. Kamenstein says the brand needed an "iconically masculine figure so as not to alienate males. We didn't want to be the Secret deodorant of the spirits space," he jokes. The rapper's ardent Latino following helps Voli's position with the fastest- growing consumer demographic in the country. Numerous other celebs have been spotted with Voli—from Jay-Z and Pete Wentz to Valerie Bertinelli and Julianne Hough. The celebrity alignment helps propel the brand— but, say Voli execs, the product stands on its own, and bar managers agree. At David Burke's Kitchen in New York City, Beverage Manager Connor Burke says style without substance doesn't even get in the door. "The price or the gimmicks don't matter," he says. "For me, when you have a name like ours to live up to, the first thing is always that the quality has to be there, especially with vodkas." Filling a Market Gap Voli's strategy of marrying tradition, taste, trend, innova- tion and a previously unmet demand for low-calorie vodka all in one bottle, gives the upstart brand a unique position. The team is confident that what Miller Lite did for the beer category nearly 40 years ago, Voli will do for spirits. It was that gap in the adult beverage market that caused Kamenstein, 41, to create the spirit. As the family cook and food shopper, he noticed the grocery store shelves contained hundreds of options for the calorie conscious in most goods—except spirits. "It occurred to me there really wasn't a single category that hadn't evolved over the past 40 years to offer a low-cal option. I could get that in salad dressings, potato chips, ice creams and juices, but there was nothing on the shelf in the spirits section that offered consumers a choice." He decided to change that. A former federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney's office, Kamenstein wanted to return to business, a career he'd had before turning to law. But his timing wasn't exactly fortuitous: He had newborn twins and a new mortgage during the worst economy in 100 years. april 2012 / the tasting panel / 57 PHOTO: DANIELLE "DEED" DEBRUNO