Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/566135
98 / the tasting panel / september 2015 T alk about practicing proper pos- ture and alignment! TY KU Sake's Après Yoga marketing campaign brilliantly leverages the relationship between the ancient fermented rice beverage and a Hindu meditation practice—both of which are currently experiencing a surge in popularity in the U.S. Earlier this year, TY KU recognized the common practice of post-yoga socializing and pondered: What better selection for health-conscious yogis than all-natural, gluten-free, non-GMO sake? In response, the brand partnered with yoga festivals like Wanderlust, launched digital and banner ads and forged relationships with popular yoga publications to connect with the yoga community during its collective "after- yoga moment," which often includes relaxing and having a drink after class. TY KU found that among the 20 million people who practice yoga in the U.S., 82% of that community is women who are typically college-educated, affluent and professional. They also found that the average percentage of drinkers among yoga practitioners is much higher than the average for the U.S.—75 percent versus almost 50 percent of LDA+ in the U.S. "With its Après Yoga campaign, TY KU gave a name to something that is happening anyway—yogis hanging out with each other, sometimes in a bar—and celebrates them instead of shaming them," says Chris Lucas, TY KU Yogic Relations Consultant. "Drinking in moderation, drinking with respect for quality—that actually requires mindfulness." Myth Buster Quality distinguishes TY KU from most other sakes consumed in the U.S. Made simply from rice, low-acid, low-iron water, koji (the mold that transforms rice into sugar) and yeast (which transforms sugar into alcohol), TY KU stands heads above the low-end futsu-shu made from rice that is only barely polished, cut with other spirits and artificial ingredients, and that typically sells for $5–$7 per bottle. These lower-end sakes have tricked consumers into believing a few myths about sake: "People think sake should be drunk warm, or that it should be shot, or that it's a spirit—which are wrong, wrong, wrong!" exclaims Guillaume Cuvelier, TY KU Vice Chairman. "Sake certainly should not be shot, as it is much closer to wine, with its low alcohol content [12–15.5% ABV]. Warming cheap sake masks its rough edges and low quality; premium sake should be drunk chilled." TY KU Sake Silver is a premium junmai sake brewed in, and imported from, Nara, Japan. The beverage is produced in a traditional method that nearly eliminates impurities from the Akebono rice to preserve a clean taste. TY KU Sake White was awarded a Double Gold at the San Francisco International Wine Competition; TY KU Sake Silver took home Gold at the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition; and TY KU Sake Black was awarded Gold at the San Francisco International Wine Competition. A Recognizable Premium Sake Launched in 2008, TY KU sought to establish a premium sake in the U.S. market. Despite the beverage's perva- siveness on menus in sushi restaurants across the country, sake lacked one cru- cial characteristic: "We realized there was no recognizable premium brand in that space," says Guillaume Cuvelier, TY KU Vice Chairman. "People were unable to talk about the kind of sake they do or don't like, as we do with beer, wine or other alcoholic products. We saw an opportunity there to launch a product people would remember." TY KU's Après Yoga campaign asserts an unforgettable proposi- tion: "This campaign presents a new opportunity and umbrella under which people can gather, connect and share in ways that are meaningful, relaxed and aligned," Lucas says. "When it comes to drinking, yogis want to drink better— they want to be functional and drink as natural and as clean as possible," Cuvelier agrees. "There's definitely an alignment of values between what they aspire to in their yoga." The synchronicity between National Yoga Month in September and World Sake Day, or Nihonshu no Hi, October 1, which is also the start of the sake brewing season, is uncanny. Similar to the wine harvest and production cycle in the fall, sake brewers go straight to brewing rice after harvest. TY KU plans to target bars and restaurants that feature both Asian fusion and New American cuisine, inspiring mid-range and high-end restaurants to introduce their clientele to fresh, innovative natural beverages by the glass, inte- grated into a white wine program or as a low-calorie, low-alcohol cocktail base. "Sake is not as niche anymore," Cuvelier says. Off-premise, the brand will target consumers who reach for white wine in the store, encouraging them to stop and consider picking up premium sake TY KU instead. The brand's latest release, TY KU Cucumber Sake, brings a fresh new flavor to the category with an approach- able option for the uninitiated. Free of gluten, sulfite and tannins, the premium junmai sake is infused with the crisp flavor of all-natural cucumber. The flavor received Double Gold at this year's San Francisco International Wine Competition. Currently, the Après Yoga campaign is engaging consumers on social media, encouraging them to share how they celebrate mindful living off the mat, for a chance to be featured across all of the TY KU 2016 advertising. "For the large number of people who practice yoga and also drink on occasion, Après Yoga frees people up to be lighthearted and mindful about it," Lucas says. "One can choose to either market at the yoga community like it's a thing, or partner with them like the people they are; and I'm pleased to see TY KU is focused on the latter." We can say namaste to that. TY KU CEO Andrew Chrisomalis with the brand's portfolio of award-winning premium sakes.