Stories
India Scotch Bet: Can Premiumisation Go Beyond Occasions?
- •India's premium whisky market is expanding as consumers increasingly trade up to older Scotch and single malts, particularly 15-year-old and 18-year-old expressions.
- •William Grant & Sons India notes that while special occasions like weddings and Diwali drive initial luxury entry, the core challenge is building sustained brand preference.
- •The proposed India-UK free trade agreement is expected to improve price accessibility and accelerate luxury segment growth, while also intensifying market competition.
- •With traditional social media advertising unavailable, brands rely heavily on point-of-sale experiences, festive designer collaborations, and strategic partnerships like Formula One.
- •The company's core luxury audience remains older and affluent, even as younger demographics show shifting drinking patterns toward consuming better quality spirits less frequently.
Key Questions Answered
Without social media advertising, William Grant & Sons focuses on physical retail stores, clubs, bars, and point-of-sale interactions. The company also uses strategic collaborations, such as partnering with designer Rajesh Pratap Singh for festive packaging and sponsoring golf clubs and Formula One, to engage consumers in environments that align with its target audience.
The proposed India-UK free trade agreement is expected to improve the price accessibility of imported spirits and accelerate growth in the luxury segment. By bringing international brands within reach of more consumers, it could stimulate demand, though it will also increase competition among global players in India's market.
The company's core luxury audience consists of older, more affluent consumers who already possess familiarity with whisky and established preferences. Younger consumers often drink less frequently and face rising socialising costs, meaning their spending priorities and relationship with alcohol differ from older demographics.
