Inside the project
THE CONSUMER OPPORTUNITY
Less alcohol.
Just as much occasion.
The opportunity was to give people a sophisticated alternative to alcohol without losing the pleasure of an evening drink: the glass, the flavour, the ritual and the feeling of sharing a moment.
Beyond Dry January, moderation is becoming part of everyday life. Chic makes the alcohol-free choice feel like a desirable, year-round occasion rather than a temporary compromise.
THE SHIFT CONTINUES
39%of global consumers who drink alcohol are looking to reduce their intake.
Current category context · FMCG Gurus, March 2026 report, as reported by its marketing manager in Beverage Industry ↗
The wider shift beyond January: Numerator’s Dry January research ↗
MY ROLE / BARTENDER CO-CREATION
Classic cocktails.
A new creative brief.
We wanted the expertise of the best bartenders to twist the cocktails people already loved. Working with Le Syndicat, part of the World’s 50 Best Bars community, also gave us an opportunity to build on Perrier’s existing collaboration with the ranking.
We co-created cocktails with Juliette Larrouy, explored different flavour directions and selected the strongest recipes with our internal team. The aim was to preserve the character and complexity of the originals in an accessible, ready-to-drink format.
MY ROLE / FROM CONCEPT TO PRODUCT
A simple brief.
A complex sensory challenge.
Recreate the sensation.
We took the selected cocktails to our flavour houses with a deceptively simple brief: recreate the experience as a mocktail. That meant working through the warmth in the mouth, botanical notes, flavour layers and balance that make a cocktail feel like a cocktail.
Put consumers at the centre.
We tested the recipes with potential consumers in the US and France, using their feedback to refine the proposition and identify the options with the strongest appeal across markets.
Align the markets.
Naming and regulation added another challenge: how to signal the cocktail inspiration clearly without misleading consumers or relying on alcoholic cocktail names. We aligned market constraints and used the pack to communicate the concept, flavour and alcohol-free promise.
Familiar cocktail inspiration, reimagined with real fruit juice, natural flavours, botanical complexity and Maison Perrier’s signature generous bubbles. A refreshing expression of French sophistication, designed to look, pour and feel special.
THE PRODUCT EXPERIENCE
More than a soft drink.
Recipes such as Lemonjito, Citrus Fizz and Roséllini translate familiar cocktail cues into an alcohol-free serve with layered flavours and a premium presentation.
Current UK examples include the warm white-rum-style sensation in Daiqui’red and fermented Syrah grape notes in Roséllini. The US range contains 30 calories or less per 250ml can and no artificial sweeteners.
Current range references: Nestlé UK ↗ · Maison Perrier US ↗. Recipes and nutritional values vary by market and flavour.
THE CONCEPT IN CULTURE
Elevating the
zero-proof social ritual.
The opportunity extends from a January resolution to a stylish, year-round choice. Elegant glassware, sophisticated flavours and premium visual codes let people keep the ritual of an aperitif while choosing not to drink alcohol.
LATER CAMPAIGN EXPRESSION / SOBER CHIC
Ogilvy’s subsequent “Sober Chic” campaign brought this positioning to life through luxury drinks imagery and characters including a pilot, taxi driver, firefighter and surgeon. Out-of-home, social films and influencer activations framed alcohol-free socialising as an aspirational choice.
Campaign by Ogilvy Paris and UK · View the creative platform ↗ · Campaign coverage ↗
THE RANGE’S SUBSEQUENT RECOGNITION
