Stoli launches global bartender programme

Stolichnaya vodka is targeting bartenders with its first marketing campaign in the US since taking control of its own distribution.

The Start with Stoli campaign aims to re-establish the brand as an iconic vodka

The Start with Stoli campaign, launched across the US this month, is designed to “remind bartenders why they have chosen Stoli over the years”.

Having taken control of its own distribution in the country from former importer William Grant & Sons USA, brand owner SPI Group intends to re-establish Stoli as an iconic brand.

The campaign has already kicked off in the US with on-trade events in New York and Pittsburgh, and is set to launch in the UK in the coming weeks.

SPI has launched a bespoke website for the campaign, www.startwithstoli.com, where bartenders can access a bespoke online training programme.

“Start with Stoli is dedicated to fostering bartender talent by making available the knowledge, tools and support to help any dedicated bartender become the best he or she can be,” the website’s mission statement reads.

As bartenders complete a series of online workshops, they have the chance to submit a cocktail recipe for a chance to win a “Bartender’s Dream Library”, which features 50 of the most influential cocktail books.