William Grant & Sons is mixing technology and sampling to introduce its Grant’s Whisky label to a younger demographic. The blended scotch whisky brand has launched a Manitoba-based pilot project that uses Microsoft Surface, a table-like, 30-inch interactive digital display, to communicate the attributes of blended whisky and the William Grant brand to 30-something males, said Lindsay Prociw, Grant’s senior brand manager. The blended whisky category is often associated with an older drinking crowd, and seen as irrelevant by a younger demographic, said Prociw. “When you look at 30- to 40-year old males there still is a wide spread ignorance about the difference between Canadian rye whisky, blended whisky, Scotch whisky, and single malt,” she said. Grant’s teamed up with Manitoba Liquor Control Commission as well as area bars to give consumers the opportunity to learn more about the beverage, through Microsoft Surface which delivers digital content to consumers who interact with the system through gestures, touch and physical objects. People can, for instance, place a cocktail and coaster on Microsoft Surface to reveal the drink’s ingredients. The project is meant to educate consumers on how to drink the beverage and the history of the brand in a way that speaks to the target audience, said Prociw. “This device does it [educates] in a way that we find people are very interested,” she said. “The old adage with toys is that you’re learning without even knowing you are.” In addition, the Surface provides access to a library of drink recipes that can be e-mailed to friends along with a customized message. Other features include a photography capability with speech bubbles and accessories that can be uploaded to Facebook, while one application allows consumers to play “spin and win” roulette for chances at a range of prizes. Grant’s Whisky selected Manitoba for the pilot project in part because of the MLCC’s willingness to explore new innovations, said Prociw. The company signed a licensing agreement with Microsoft until the end of July, and will base the success of the project on sales and overall brand awareness, said Prociw.
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