An advertising exec in the late 1920s said “a picture is worth a thousand words” to advocate for the use of images in advertising. And that idiom is even more relevant today, particularly with regard to digital marketing.
Photography that sells doesn’t just happen by accident, especially in the world of luxury spirits and cocktails.
In 2015, a premier distilled spirits company integrated a portfolio of international brands known for innovation in the “premium to luxury” category. Recognized as trailblazers in spirit brand development, this GAP client focuses on the art of storytelling to create emotional connections between consumers and brands. Their website showcases some of the finest spirits from around the globe. These brands are distinct, offering ultra-premium top-shelf beverages rather than everyday well drinks.
With such a high standard to maintain, refreshing the site was no small task. Think about how much technology has changed since 2015. Apple, for example, has released 31 models of the iPhone since 2015.
The project wasn't simply giving the site a facelift; it was about organizing and presenting a wide range of content across hundreds of products. The team also had to ensure the presentation would be beautiful, functional, and enjoyable.
Here's how the design team at Growth Acceleration Partners (GAP) approached the initiative.
We knew we needed to represent the fanciful cocktails with unexpected flavors in an intriguing way — the more beautiful a cocktail appears, the more exquisite it will taste. The GAP design team worked closely with the client to help them understand content needs and created templates to ensure the content needed to fill the pages was available. We created guidelines that specified image sizes and "safe areas" to clearly indicate where text would be placed to avoid readability issues.
The inherited site was built on WordPress using PHP, CSS, JavaScript, and HTML. Rather than starting from scratch, we opted to keep WordPress as the platform due to its flexibility and our team’s familiarity with it. We took advantage of what WordPress does well — adding new features and updating some others. We kept the core structure of the existing site and implemented significant updates to improve user experience and showcase the top-shelf products effectively.
GAP also integrated the brand's social media feeds, which update automatically from the individual feeds. This helps keep the site fresh and relevant without requiring constant manual updates.
Some additional features and improvements we implemented include:
- Enhanced Navigation: Introducing a new menuing scheme made it easier for visitors to find the products they're looking for. Now there’s no question where to click to find what you need.
- Recipe Integration: We created a recipe section where visitors can find cocktail ideas using the products available on the website. Visitors can filter recipes by spirit, brand, or even by cocktail mood, and share the recipe with their social media followers.
- Product and Distributor Locators: Adding a product locator feature helps customers find specific products in nearby stores. Visitors may filter their search by product, city, state, ZIP code, or distance from their location. A distributor locator helps users find their favorite spirits by state.
- Custom Content Types: We created custom WordPress content types — recipes, brands, products, product groups, and distributors — allowing the client to easily add new content without needing development expertise.
While much of the website initiative involved refreshing content and design, GAP also extended core features to allow custom tagging for countries, spirit variety and recipe categories. From improved navigation to more engaging content and new features — like the product locator and recipe tie-ins — the spirits website has undergone a transformation.
And though we’re still in the process of gathering all the materials needed for the final launch, the end result will be a site that reflects the premium quality of the products it showcases.
In 2023, the spirits market in North America was estimated at $216.62 billion. The rising popularity of premium and luxury spirit brands is fueling market growth. Margaritas, martinis, and mules are among trending cocktails. Lavender, basil, and cilantro have been gaining taste buds along with exotic fruit flavors.
This trend is supported by an increased appreciation for artisanal craftsmanship, especially among Millennials and Gen X consumers who are deeply immersed in cocktail culture and mixology. Younger audiences are not just looking for drinks; they want to make the ordinary “extraordinary” and share the story on their social platforms.
The website refresh reflects the essence of what sets the brand portfolio apart: innovation, craftsmanship, and luxury. The GAP design team created a digital space that matches the sophistication and distinction of the ultra-premium products showcased on the website. Each page highlights the uniqueness of the top-shelf brands, offering visitors an invitation to experience the artistry behind them.
