Fever-Tree Launches World’s First Virtual Gin & Tonic Festival

Premium mixer brand Fever-Tree has pivoted its events marketing strategy to take its Gin and Tonic Festival online which will launch on Saturday, June 13.

Experiential marketing is an essential part of Fever-Tree’s outreach, with the Gin & Tonic Festival a pillar event for the brand. While a live outdoor event is planned for March once restrictions ease, Fever-Tree is taking the initiative to continue its engagement with relevant audiences and to reach new ones by creating a virtual experience.

The virtual festival will see Fever-Tree unite with a number of Australian and international distillers to bring together G&T fans in search of interaction and socialising, for personalised gin-tertainment from the comfort of their own home.

A shrinking of in-venue sales in recent months has been offset by an increase in consumer spending on premium alcoholic beverages and mixers, as many Australians look to socialise and entertain at home. Fever-Tree is springboarding off this trend, bringing G&T lovers together for the virtual festival and to keep the brand front-of-mind when venues re-open.

“Experiential marketing is crucial for Fever-Tree, and we’re now able to bring that into a digital format with the Gin & Tonic Festival. Fever-Tree and Australian distillers can connect with supporters in a unique and interactive way to continue driving product sales and awareness. It’s something both our industry friends and the community of gin lovers can really look forward to,” Fever-Tree’s Australian Marketing Manager Caroline Wood said.

While the event is free to attend, Fever-Tree’s $55 tickets for a home-delivered festival kit sold out in days. The kit includes 8 mini gins and 8 Fever-Tree tonics, homemade dehydrated garnishes, two glasses, a tasting mat, snacks and a pairing guide, as well as access to the digital festival.

The two-hour experience includes tastings led by gin experts, masterclasses with leading Australian bartenders and food pairings by MasterChef’s Simon Toohey – which attendees can interact with and enjoy from their home.

The festival will highlight the wonderful world of modern gin with local favourites Four Pillars and Adelaide Hills, along with international legends Bombay Sapphire, Warner’s, Hendrick’s Gin and many more.

As a premium mixer company, Fever-Tree is also emphasising that the main ingredient of the drink is the mixer, building on its core marketing message: ‘If 3/4 of the drink is the tonic, then mix with the best’.

“Australia is a key market for Fever-Tree, where the shift towards premium mixers for spirit-based drinks is accelerating rapidly, with gin sales leading the way, growing by 30% year-on-year. As we look to help Australians discover the wonderful world of gin and tonic, we believe the online Gin & Tonic Festival provides the perfect mix for our fans,” Fever-Tree’s Australian General Manager Andy Gaunt said.

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