Sodastream has signalled a major push into the alcohol space by leveraging partnerships with alcohol brands and retailers to avoid blowback from its more family-friendly user.
Part of the move is the impending launch of the Sodastream MIX, which will essentially allow people to turn any liquid into a carbonated liquid.
For example, Sodastream is hoping people will use the product to turn white wine into Champagne.
Speaking to AdNews, Sodastream managing director Myles Anceschi said that with a fresh distribution deal nailed down with Coles and Dick Smith Electronics nailed down, that it would seek to push into the alcohol space.
“It's a huge category. If you look at the sale of pre-mixers in Australia, there's a lot of ,” Anceschi said.
“Broad numbers we've gone from 2000 stores to well over 4500 stores, which is really broad reach.
“The alcohol outlet network in Australia is about half of that again in potential.”
Internationally, the brand is attempting to pivot from the family-focused brand of days gone by into a more upscale offering aimed at a more discerning audience.
“Obviously we have that legacy perception of being that family fun brand from the 70s. If we stayed in that place, we would have been one of those sad brands that didn't move on,” Anceschi said.
Anceschi said the current push was about the current machine, rather than the MIX machine.
Last year, Sodastream signed a deal with Absolut Vodka to push the Sodastream as part of creating cocktails using vodka and sparkling water.
It is also in talks with retailers about how it could be distributed in stores.
“We're now looking to take that concept to the retailers and say, BWS or Liquorland, and say, what can we do to get into your stores?,” Anceschi said.
“Then we can set up a program around the key alcoholic beverage season such as Spring Carnival, you can look at Christmas or Australia Day, there's all sort of stuff you can do.”
He said the brand would seek to promote itself in the alcohol space through brand partnerships rather than above the line advertising to avoid potential blowback from its family-friendly user.
“Ideally we want to say, you can use this to make the kids a healthy soft drink when they come home from school, but once the kids are in bed you can go nuts with your partner and whip up a gin and tonic,” Anceschi said.
“But I also think we have to tread carefully because even though it's a system that can make a beverage that is for families as well as an alcoholic beverages, you can't necessarily aggressively push that because you get kick-back from families and that sort of user.
“So it's them [alcohol brand partner] doing the talking, saying this is a great system for making a mixer using our product instead of us aggressively pushing that message.”
He also said longer term the brand would seek to push into the cafe and restaurant space.
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