How to Understand How Your Product Is Consumed and Who Your Consumers Are?

In the competitive world of beverages, understanding how your product is consumed and identifying your target audience are key to creating successful marketing strategies and driving product innovation.

Sensia, an AI-driven consumer insights platform, offers a way to deeply analyze consumer reviews to uncover patterns of usage and profile the consumers. This information can be invaluable for product innovation, marketing communications, advertising campaigns, and storytelling.

In this article, we will demonstrate how Sensia can be used to gain these insights, using Absolut Cocktails, a Ready-to-Drink (RTD) innovation from Absolut, as a case study.

Leveraging Sensia for Product Consumption Analysis

Absolut’s RTD Cocktails provide a rich dataset of consumer reviews that offer a clear view of how and when people consume these products, as well as what they look for in a drink. By analyzing these reviews, Sensia can highlight product strengths, consumer preferences, and usage patterns that can help brands refine their marketing and product development efforts.

Product Usage

Based on the reviews for various Absolut Vodka Cocktails, several common usage patterns and contexts emerge. Consumers primarily enjoy these ready-to-drink cocktails in social settings due to their convenience and ease of consumption. Let’s dive into the common usage patterns, times of consumption, and complementary products consumers use with Absolut Vodka Cocktails:

Usage Scenarios and Contexts

The following usage scenarios are commonly associated with Absolut Cocktails:

• Social Gatherings: Reviews frequently mention these cocktails as a popular choice for BBQs, picnics, and summer parties. Their ready-to-drink format makes them ideal for outdoor events.
• Post-Work Relaxation: Many consumers enjoy having an Absolut cocktail as a way to unwind after a long day at work.
• Outdoor Activities: The portability of these canned cocktails makes them popular for outdoor activities like beach trips, camping, or lounging by the pool.
• Home Enjoyment: Some consumers prefer to enjoy these cocktails at home, either alone or during small gatherings, as a convenient alternative to making complex drinks.

Times of Consumption

Consumers tend to enjoy Absolut Vodka Cocktails during specific times:

• Evenings: Most reviews indicate these cocktails are consumed during the evening, especially as a post-work drink or at social events.
• Weekends: Weekend gatherings and outdoor events like barbecues and picnics are common times for consumption.
• Summer Days: These cocktails are closely associated with warm weather and are typically served ice-cold on hot summer days.

Complementary Products

Consumers often pair Absolut Vodka Cocktails with other items to enhance the experience:

• Ice: Reviews frequently emphasize serving the cocktails with plenty of ice to enhance their refreshing qualities.
• Fruit Garnishes: Many consumers add fresh fruit like strawberries or citrus slices to complement the flavors and improve the drink's presentation.
• Mixers: For certain drinks like the Berry Vodkarita, some consumers add sparkling water to adjust the sweetness or make the drink last longer.

Specific Product Insights

Here’s a look at some of the Absolut Vodka Cocktail products and how they are consumed:

• Absolut Cocktails Strawberry Spritz (250 ml): Praised for its refreshing strawberry taste, this cocktail is a summer favorite, typically served ice-cold at BBQs and outdoor events.
• Absolut Passion Fruit Martini Cocktail (250 ml): Loved for its fruity and refreshing flavor, this cocktail is a great choice for summer evenings. Consumers often add fruit garnishes like passion fruit slices.
• Absolut Cocktails Espresso Martini (200 ml): Known for its smooth coffee flavor and convenience, this drink is typically enjoyed chilled as an evening treat.
• Absolut Grapefruit Paloma Sparkling Vodka Cocktail (355 ml): This cocktail’s light and refreshing grapefruit flavor makes it a popular choice for outdoor summer activities.
• Absolut Mango Mule Sparkling Vodka Cocktail (355 ml): Appreciated for its combination of mango and ginger flavors, this cocktail is a favorite for those who enjoy Moscow Mules.
• Absolut Berry Vodkarita Sparkling Vodka Cocktail (355 ml): Consumers enjoy the fruity, fizzy nature of this drink, particularly at summer gatherings.
• Absolut RTD Cocktail Variety 8PK: Offering a range of flavors, this variety pack is popular for poolside parties and casual social events.

Consumer Profiles

Sensia’s analysis allows us to group Absolut Vodka Cocktail consumers into distinct profiles. Each group has specific preferences, characteristics, and pain points that Absolut can address with targeted strategies.

Detailed Consumer Analysis

Summer Refreshment Seekers

These consumers enjoy social gatherings and outdoor activities, seeking refreshing and lightly sweetened drinks that are ideal for summer.

• Preferences: They prefer drinks like the Absolut Cocktails Strawberry Spritz, which are refreshing and not overly sweet. Example feedback: “Perfect for after work, especially when served cold with ice.”
• Pain Points: They dislike overly sweet drinks and often find it difficult to find these products in certain stores.
• Recommendations: A lighter spritz, such as a citrus-elderflower blend, could cater to this profile’s preferences.

Convenience Enthusiasts

Typically young professionals, these consumers value convenience and ready-to-drink options.

• Preferences: They prefer portable, pre-mixed drinks, like the Absolut Cocktails Espresso Martini, for their ease of use. Example feedback: “Perfect amount of alcohol and flavor, refreshing and ready to go.”
• Pain Points: They often cite higher prices and artificial flavors as deterrents.
• Recommendations: Affordable, ready-to-drink multi-packs with natural ingredients would resonate well with this group.

Flavor Explorers

This group is adventurous and enjoys trying new flavors. They are typically aged 25-45 and are always on the lookout for unique drinks.

• Preferences: They prefer cocktails with unique flavor combinations, such as the Absolut Passion Fruit Martini. Example feedback: “This drink was refreshingly fruity and delicious!”
• Pain Points: They are sensitive to artificial tastes and flavor imbalances.
• Recommendations: Introduce new flavors like dragon fruit or lychee, and emphasize natural ingredients to engage these adventurous consumers.

Quality Connoisseurs

These consumers, aged 30+, with higher disposable incomes, prefer premium experiences and high-quality drinks.

• Preferences: They appreciate high vodka content and premium taste, making the Absolut Berry Vodkarita a suitable choice. Example feedback: “Worth the price for the high-quality vodka content.”
• Pain Points: They find the price point high and the available flavor options limited.
• Recommendations: A premium line of cocktails with botanical infusions or aged variations could cater to their desire for high-quality products.

Conclusion

By understanding how consumers use their products and identifying who these consumers are, brands like Absolut can target their marketing and product innovation efforts more effectively. Whether it’s catering to Summer Refreshment Seekers with light and refreshing drinks, or satisfying Flavor Explorers with exotic combinations, Sensia’s insights allow brands to create tailored strategies that meet their customers' diverse needs and preferences.

For more in-depth insights on the Absolut Vodka Cocktails Innovation Consumer Insights project, visit Sensia’s full report.