Young people drink vodka in two varieties. The first kind comes in a plastic bottle, costs less than an appetizer sampler and works best when mixed with something, like root beer or pickle juice. The second variety is exorbitantly priced and marketed to rappers, runway models and captains of industry. It boasts things like heritage and time-honored recipes.
But what of the world between these spirit extremes? That’s what Noah Cohen, founder and CEO of Premier Innovations Group, wanted to explore. As the owner of a US Government Federal Importers License — a pretty hot commodity for a young professional — Noah had been traveling around the world looking for the right product to brand and bring to market.
It wasn’t until visiting a distillery deep in Latvia that Noah found the formula he was looking for. Crafted with Russian production standards and the raw brilliance of Latvian H20, Noah knew he had his recipe.
Back in the States, he rallied the Premier Innovations troops to develop a brand identity. Several respected entrepreneurs tried to convince him that top shelf was the way to go. But to no avail, Noah’s team knew their vodka and the young professionals who’d click with it.
And so it was born: Clique Vodka — a high-value spirit at a reasonable price point, just $15.99.
“Check the middle shelf,” Noah dares us. “Smirnoff, Stoli, Absolut: they’re totally ambiguous of their target market. They’re set up to target everybody. But we didn’t want to do that. We wanted to be aggressive and young.”
Big talk from a young brand? Sure. But they practice what they preach. Clique sponsors charity events and fosters relationships with local bands. They market nearly exclusively through word of mouth and event promos — hitting over 80 venues in the last two months alone. They even keep a fulltime social media maverick on staff, Pat Hanavan, who uses the likes of Songwhale, SocialSmack and Meetup to manufacture buzz.
And with their product bringing home the bronze medal at the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition, it looks like the word on Clique is out.
