New outfit, same delicious Kahlúa

Despite holding the title of the world’s number one coffee liqueur, Kahlúa isn’t a fan of standing still. Unveiling a rumbunctious, colourful look, the new label is inspired by the brand’s drive to provide people with a boost of playfulness.

The new design aims to grab the attention of home mixologists looking to liven up their living room whether hosting fiestas or opting for a solo soirée. You heard it here first: ‘IN’ is the new ‘OUT, OUT’.

Worldwide, modern consumers are ushering in a new era of home mixology as trends show people are spending up to 30 per cent more time at home than pre-pandemic^*. They’re saying adiós to the same old Friday cabernet and saying yes to jazzing up their libations with experimentation. 

But how are they doing this? Seeking pockets of joy for their home mixology escapades, consumers want versatility and convenience without breaking the bank. Enter Kahlúa. Whether low on supplies or seeking to add a little oolala to their leche, some oomph to their banana bread or a dash of Mexicano to their Americano; Kahlúa goes with experimentation like a cliff-hanger in a daytime soap opera. It is sweet, spicy and full of flavour – like an Espresso Martini on your couch on a Tuesday night.

Craig van Niekerk, Global VP of Marketing for Malibu and Kahlúa, said: “How we work and live today has drastically changed, and consumers are over the mundane. To our audiences, a glass of wine at the end of the day is as spicy as cousin Mary’s chicken tikka masala; Espresso Martini on a Tuesday anyone? Alongside the coffee-based cocktail boom, the home entertainment trend is here to stay and the adult treat space is flourishing. Immensely versatile, Kahlúa brings the play to the grey; it’s the secret (albeit a badly kept one, and let’s keep it that way) to stirring up any cocktail catalogue.” 

Craig added: “Like a puppy, Kahlúa is not just for Christmas… mix it with orange juice and a little nutmeg, it sounds bizarre, but it will taste just like one of the USA’s most popular chocolate-flavoured candies. Try putting it on ice cream or dirty your Chai with a dash. With its distinctive flavour, Kahlúa really is a mixologist’s best amigo.” 

Featuring the same great tasting Kahlúa, the shiny new bottle design is vibrant, warm and optimistic with bold colours and geometric patterns that pay homage to the brand’s Mexican heritage, dating back to 1936. What makes Kahlúa unique is the quality coffee, made with 100 per cent Arabica coffee beans, grown and handpicked solely in farming communities that are part of the brand’s ‘Coffee for Good‘ initiative. Designed with both people and the planet in mind, the initiative supports four local communities in Veracruz (Ocotempa, Atempa, Oxtotitla, Coxititla) while promoting more sustainable farming methods. To showcase our community camaraderie, we’ve given the ‘Coffee for Good’ crest a roasting hot makeover, now adorned in gold, and revamped with a brand-new coffee roundel design. Kahlúa also has 100 per cent traceability of its coffee along each step of the supply chain. 

Like a red rag to a bull, the new label is set to kick up the dust in the category alongside the Stir Up campaign creative featuring a very special guest *gasp*; who could it be? The rebrand is designed to spice up shelves with a high-impact global media campaign and a range of new innovative drinks. Kahlúa has taken its most distinctive assets and combined them in the most over-the-top way. 

First things first. The stampede of new bottles will take over shelves across key retailers in the USA in October before being rolled out across the UK, Canada, South Korea, China and Australia in the coming months. Salud! 

They say you don’t know, what you don’t know. 

Now YOU know. 
What will you stir up? 
Get inspired: kahlua.com

* Source: COVID-19 Google Mobility Trends