Stoli Ginger Beer to raise the Moscow Mule

Stoli Vodka wants cocktail lovers to raise their copper mugs to one of the trendiest and most original drinks, the Moscow Mule. To celebrate the resurgence of this invigorating cocktail, the vodka maker is giving taste buds a kick with the launch of its refreshing new Stoli Ginger Beer.

Simple at its core, the Moscow Mule is a distinctive drink made from three ingredients of vodka, ginger beer and lime, served over ice in a copper mug that gives it a cold, metallic tang.

“As the original premium vodka brand, we saw the opportunity to make the Moscow Mule our own,” said Michael Oringer, senior VP innovation and trade marketing at Stoli Group, USA. “Stoli Ginger Beer is the first mixer to take advantage of the rapidly rising Moscow Mule trend. Its bold taste, made with pure cane sugar and real ginger extract, was expertly blended to complement the smooth and robust flavour of Stoli vodka, delivering the perfect Mule serve.”

To launch the Stoli Ginger Beer, Stoli is inviting consumers to salute the Stoli Moscow Mule using the hashtag #RaiseYourMule. The campaign, launched in the USA, calls on consumers to trade in their usual drink for the spicy kick of a Stoli Moscow Mule and join the resurgence of this cool-looking cocktail in its signature copper mug.

Marco Ferrari, CMO for Stoli Group adds: “This a fantastic innovation project generated in the USA that we will extend to several global markets in the near future. A truly bold initiative that drives a relevant drink strategy for Stolichnaya and affirms the brand’s pioneering spirit.”

Spring Design brought the concept to life through a package design solution that blends Stolichnaya brand equities with visual cues from the ginger beer category, delivering a premium mixer experience endorsed by the house of Stolichnaya. “Spring Design is a trusted partner and resource for the Stolichnaya brand. They delivered creative, out of the box thinking that helped Stoli communicate our core brand attributes for this unique product,” comments Mike Oringer, senior VP of innovation and trade marketing at Stolichnaya.

Stoli will take its Mule campaign trail across the country to engage fans with over 330 managed bar events across 12 markets including: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Miami, Washington, D.C., and Northern and Southern California. Over 17,000 people are expected to receive samples of the cocktail in addition to Stoli-branded copper mugs and recipe cards. Fans are encouraged to share their mug shot selfies using the hashtag #RaiseYourMule on the Stoli Premium Vodka Facebook and Twitter pages.

Stoli Ginger Beer will come in a 4-pack and will be available in leading retail outlets and on premise locations.

About Stoli Group

Stoli Group (headquartered in Luxembourg) was established in 2013 as the division that is responsible for the production, management and distribution of SPI Group's global spirit portfolio - the Stolichnaya Premium vodka range, Elit by Stolichnaya and Moskovskaya. With operational business units across 3 continents and distribution in 167 countries, the group has offices in Europe, USA and China.

28 May 2014 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor