Bombay Sapphire launches ‘gateway into gin’ cocktail

Bacardi Limited-owned Bombay Sapphire has launched a new campaign to promote a cocktail recipe that it claims can be a “gateway into gin”.

The brand’s latest advert promotes a new suggested serve for the London Dry Gin – not with tonic, but with lemonade.

Called the Sparkling Lemon, the new cocktail is described in the commercial as “basically Friday in a glass”, suggesting that it is a drink to see the weekend in with.

“With its effortless recipe, the cocktail is the perfect gateway into gin for those who have not yet found their perfect match or are looking to add excitement to their summer cocktail repertoire,” suggested Bombay Sapphire brand director Jaime Keller. “Great for connecting friends and celebrating spontaneous moments, this drink brings a touch of chic sophistication to your gatherings.”

Bombay Sapphire provides two potential recipes for its Sparkling Lemon cocktail. Both utilise 1.5 ounces of the gin, though one version suggests using five ounces of San Pellegrino Limonata, while the other calls for three ounces of lemonade and the same amount of club soda. It is suggested that both are served in a balloon glass with ice.

The advert will be published across social media and pushed online, and there will also be out-of-home displays in New York City, where the campaign was unveiled at Grand Central Station earlier this summer.

While US consumers are certainly no strangers to the G&T, the campaign is targeting those who are interested in trying gin but are maybe deterred by the taste of quinine found in tonic. The question of how tonic brands can crack the US market and replicate their success in the likes of the UK and Spain is a tricky one.

Bombay Sapphire’s marketing often pushes the aesthetics of cocktail culture – late last year it launched a series of drinks-inspired garments and accessories in partnership with fashion designer Christian Siriano.