Why Brands Need to Talk About the Benefits of Alcohol
It's not all bed, eh?
Not long ago, I saw a post from a bev industry marketing consultant, Molly Bossardt, on LinkedIn that caught me off guard - in the best way.
She asked why we never talk about the benefits of alcohol.
The human benefits.
The reason people have gathered around bottles for centuries.
The emotional release, the permission to open up, the rituals that help us connect with other people, especially in a world that increasingly trends towards isolation.
The post was provocative, so I reached out.
Molly works with early-stage wine, spirits, and cannabis brands, helping them navigate the complex terrain of performance marketing.
We talked about a lot:
> How to use Facebook ads as a strategic storytelling tool.
> Why the founder still matters, even if the brand is designed to scale.
> Why Gen Z “isn’t drinking” and how to build brands they might actually care about.
Here’s what stood out:
01. Authenticity Isn’t an Aesthetic. It’s a Strategy.
One of the most persistent myths in the drinks industry is that premium brands need to look premium at every touchpoint. High production value, beautiful bottle shots, cinematic ad campaigns. As a branding agency (Nihilo) that works with early stage brands, we sometimes encourage our clients to be more transparent, to build more in the open, and there is a hell of a lot of fear.
“The best-performing ads I’ve seen are shot on iPhones,” Molly told me. “When something looks too polished, consumers instantly clock it as an ad, and scroll past.”
This isn’t just about visual style. It’s about perceived honesty. The brands that feel accessible - and even imperfect - are the ones that break through the perfectly polished noise.
This is especially relevant in categories like wine, where sameness is a real problem. Founders think they’re competing on taste or terroir. In reality, they’re competing on emotional resonance and narrative memorability.
A behind-the-scenes video of your label getting redesigned for the tenth time? A reel of your tens of different 3D explorations of your rum brand cap? That might be more valuable than any product hero shot. Because it signals transparency. It makes people feel like insiders. And most importantly, it builds long-term connection instead of just chasing short-term clicks.
02. Performance Marketing Is Not the Enemy of Brand
There’s often an artificial divide between brand building and performance marketing, as if the two are in opposition. But as Molly points out, some of the smartest founders are finding ways to merge the two.
It starts with listening.
Molly recommends mining your own customer reviews (and even ChatGPT summaries of those reviews) for language that customers actually use. In copywriting lingo, we call this “Voice of Customer” and it is as invaluable as ever. Too many brands fall into the trap of writing from a founder’s POV instead of the customer’s lived experience.
If they’re calling it “smooth” or “easy to drink,” don’t describe it as “bold and expressive.” Speak their language. Do your customers care about terroir? If so, talk about it! If not, don’t talk about it! Be honest about what your brand stands for, it doesn’t have to complicated. It’s not dumbing down. It’s building trust.
03. Founders Who Hide Don’t Win
The discomfort is real. But if you're building an early-stage brand and avoiding visibility because it feels cringey or “off-brand,” you're probably leaving growth on the table. In a couple of weeks, we’ll be interviewing Aaron Nosbich from BRĒZ - a brand that literally has candid videos of the founder talking as part of their paid ad strategy. They are doing brilliantly well.
“People want to buy from people they know and like,” Molly said. “You can’t outsource that part.”
In a crowded market, a founder’s voice, especially when paired with vulnerability, conviction, and consistency, is one of the only assets that can’t be copied.
That doesn’t mean your personal brand is the brand. But in the early stages, it’s often the fastest way to earn attention, tell a meaningful story, and differentiate from legacy players who are still hiding behind agencies and bottle shots.
04. The Future of Drinking Isn’t Sobriety. It’s Inclusion.
Molly made a point that isn’t said enough: young people aren’t drinking less because of some health revolution. They’re drinking less because they’re broke. I’ve heard other theories: people are more socially isolated and drinking is meant to be a team sport, Gen-Z hasn’t matured to the age of sophisticated drinking yet, etc.
These are potentially economic insights, but also brand building ones.
“If you’re not listening to younger people and people from different backgrounds than you,” Molly said, “you’re probably not going to win.”
Takeaways for Builders:
▻ Design your performance marketing strategy to test narratives, not just sell bottles.
▻ Treat authenticity as a business advantage.
▻ Don’t wait until you have the perfect story. Start telling the messy one.
▻ Build your audience before you build your distribution.
▻ And stop pretending that alcohol needs to apologize for existing.
If we want to build a next generation of iconic drinks brands, we need to stop avoiding the conversation. Alcohol has always been a tool for meaning, beauty, and connection. The question is how to build brands that honor that truth, and reach the people who still want it.