New Stoli Campaign Aims to Break the Stigma Against Men Who Enjoy Fruity Cocktails

After speaking to bartenders across the country and conducting a survey, the vodka brand found that while young men enjoy flavored cocktails, they typically opt for a beer or whisky instead. According to the survey, which polled 1,475 men over the age of 21, 73 percent of millennial men enjoy flavored cocktails, but 63 percent will avoid ordering them in public out of fear that friends will make fun of them for it. 

The "Drink What You Want" campaign, created by The Martin Agency, hopes to break the stigma against men who enjoy fruity beverages. It includes a larger anthem spot and three shorter videos, which focus on individual products, featuring three different cocktails made with different Stoli flavors.

The tone of the spot is meant to be lighthearted, with a narrator who doesn't take himself too seriously, unlike some of the heavily bearded beer drinkers and stuffy whisky lovers. 

"This isn't a serious subject, it's a fun subject," Lori Tieszen, CMO and svp of marketing for Stoli Group USA, told Adweek. "We think we have an interesting way in by relating to guys' fears and saying drink what you want, don't worry about it."

"Drink What You Want" is the first campaign the brand has created for its flavors. Over the past two and a half years Tieszen noted that the U.S. branch has put most of its focus on the traditional product, "the mother brand." It's also the first summer-focused campaign for Stoli. 

Stoli has also partnered with renowned bartender Jeffrey Morganthaler, who has created a number of videos for the campaign website showing off some of his own Stoli Vodka cocktail recipes.

The shorter spots below will be running on paid media, appearing on sites including ESPN, Comedy Central and Playboy.