Vodka From the Top of the World
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Vodka From the Top of the World was an advertising campaign created by Finnish National Distillers, Inc. to better sell their Finlandia Vodka in the early 1990s. With this slogan and campaign, Finlandia became one of the more popular imported vodkas in the United States.[citation needed]
Although liquor sales have been declining for many years, the imported vodka sector remained a main staple of the industry.[1] But in 1991 even figures for this segment decreased by almost six percent.[2] Lagging far on behind the leading brands, Absolut and Stolichnaya, Finlandia Vodka wanted to increase its share of the market. Following the "Vodka at the Top of the World" campaign, created by Goodby, Silverstein, and Partners of San Francisco for Finnish National Distillers, Inc., Finlandia's sales volume grew by 6.2 percent in 1993, while Absolut and Stolichnaya decreased or stayed the same. In major markets, the number of people who tried Finlandia Vodka increased by twenty percent, and the campaign helped create a positive attitude toward the brand. Finlandia improved on its position in the market in spite of being outspent five to one by Absolut and two to one by Stolichnaya.[2]
Historical context
Finlandia Vodka is the product of a Finnish company, which used the name Finnish National Distillers in the United States. The vodka was first produced in 1970, and was launched in the U.S. market the following year. By the end of the 1990s, Finlandia was available in more than 100 countries, having enjoyed consistent growth globally. The company's efforts to increase sales in the U.S., however, were not quite as successful.
Target market
Members of the target demographics were somewhat unusual in that they had little brand loyalty. Because vodka was primarily mixed with other drinks, brand was not seen to be incredibly important. Goodby, Silverstein, and Partners, however, found that if a consumer wanted a certain drink, such as ‘an Absolut martini,’ he or she would ask for a particular brand. But the brand varied on the event and the brand's image and how the drinker wanted to be perceived. Goodby called the phenomenon "import grazing" or "vodka promiscuity."[3] Unfortunately for Finlandia, before the 1990s, the only brands with clear images were Absolut and Stolichnaya.