When Design and Drink Celebrate Together

The collaboration between Grey Goose Vive Le Voyage and designers Shantanu and Nikhil raised a toast to the tasteful coming together of French excellence and modern Indian aesthetics. It was driven by the fact that young Indians are now seeking more exclusive experiences as a form of self-expression, which offer a distinct opportunity to craft unforgettable moments inspired by French sophistication and elegance. Here are the details as shared by Mahesh Kanchan, Director (Marketing), Bacardi India.

Given the exciting times we are living in, inspiration becomes part of the game. What we are witness to in recent times is a demographic shift, marked by the rise of a young and expanding middle-class, increased digital penetration, and a growing preference for premium lifestyle experiences across categories. Recognising unique opportunities to create memorable experiences where French minimalism and style meet modern Indian aesthetics, Bacardi India has collaborated with designers Shantanu and Nikhil to offer affluent consumers the chance to have premium bar accessories.

A Unique Partnership

Both brands, known for their dedication to modern luxury and sophisticated elegance, are collaborating to celebrate creativity, innovation, and a contemporary ethos with a collection of bar accessories centred around cocktail couture and elevated lifestyle experiences. The exclusive barware collection embodies a fusion, seamlessly blending couture with the world of French elegance. “This collaboration represents a new chapter in contemporary storytelling, where every element, from the barware to fashion, is thoughtfully crafted to create a cohesive and inspiring experience,” says Mahesh Kanchan. This collection stands to enhance the drinking experience for consumers in India. There is a reasoning behind the venture. Consumers are becoming more adventurous with their drink choices, as spirits are increasingly viewed as a lifestyle statement rather than merely functional. Young Indians are seeking higher quality, better taste and memorable moments. They also are exploring more exclusive experiences as a form of self-expression, which offers a distinct opportunity to craft unforgettable moments inspired by French sophistication and elegance. Whether celebrating personal milestones, professional achievements, or simply enjoying gatherings with friends, this collaborative collection of bar accessories with Shantanu and Nikhil is designed to elevate celebratory occasions, embodying a lifestyle of understated yet refined taste. “We are looking forward to exploring more partnerships for storytelling to bring Grey Goose’s heritage of French excellence to life in a compelling way,” says Mahesh.

Taking the Lead 

An interesting factor is that brand Grey Goose continues to take the lead in the super[1]premium vodka category in India. Thanks to enduring premiumisation across lifestyle categories and the rising cocktail culture in India, it continues to be in a leadership position in India. Here, innovation also matters. For instance, Grey Goose Vive Le Voyage is an initiative where the brand is exploring crafting unforgettable celebrations infused with French excellence and sophistication. “This new curated barware collection embodies the pursuit of quality and is designed for consumers who are tastemakers and appreciate the finest in fashion and luxury,” is how Mahesh defines it.

In Line with the Trends 

With more and more Indian consumers today exploring exclusive experiences more than ever before to elevate their lifestyles and to make a statement of refined taste, there are new trends in the making. “As consumers are at the heart of all our initiatives at Bacardi, we are constantly exploring more partnerships that bring the brand stories to life in a compelling way,” Mahesh states. There are many noteworthy trends today, which have taken shape. Premiumisation is one of them. This is an important thing that the spirits industry overall in particular has been witnessing. There is a notable demographic shift taking place in India, i.e. the growth of a young and expanding middle-class, as well as digital penetration coupled with rising preferences towards more premium lifestyle experiences across categories. “We are seeing a demographic shift, marked by the rise of a young and expanding middle class, increased digital penetration, and a growing preference for premium lifestyle experiences across categories,” states Mahesh. Another trend is of drinking less but better: These trends are marked by mindful consumption by consumers. Therefore, giving consumers an opportunity to seek and savour only the best through the curated experiences becomes an important focus area for brands like Bacardi. Also, Indians now want to experiment! It’s the experiences that matter, which have also led to exploring their palates and delving into trying more options. Consumers are willing to experiment with drinks as the perception towards spirits evolves to be more lifestyle[1]focused rather than functional. Equally significant is the fact that India has observed an accelerated growth in the cocktail culture, with consumers dabbling with new formats to enjoy an elevated lifestyle as a form of self-expression. More and more people are travelling post-pandemic and are exploring cocktails in other parts of the world, which is why they have a more evolved taste palate. And, their desire to experiment is being fulfilled by the availability of the best brands in India today.

Finding a Niche

While the Bacardi portfolio is diverse, there is a common acknowledgement of focus on creativity, innovation and contemporary signatures as far as storytelling and collaborations are concerned. “We are excited by this new strategic direction, which allows brands to be positioned more meaningfully in order to connect with newer audiences who have a more refined taste in lifestyle and expressions of luxury,” Mahesh says.