Wild Turkey has announced the first-ever virtual guided tasting for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voiced by a legendary distillery family – the Russells. Whether you want to learn the basics of Whiskey or refine your palate, all you to do is say to your Alexa device, “Alexa, enable Wild Turkey Tasting” or to your Google Assistant device, “Hey Google, talk to Wild Turkey Tasting” to be virtually transported to the Wild Turkey Distillery.
Today, more than 25 percent of U.S. households currently have at least one smart speaker in their homes, and that figure is projected to grow to 75 percent by 2025. “Part of our digital transformation journey is looking at ways to reach new consumers through technology that is already a part of their daily routine – it’s not meant to disrupt as much as take advantage of the explosive growth of interest in bourbon cocktails and culture,” says Andrea Sengara, Vice President of Marketing for Campari America. “Coupling our renowned Master Distillers with this burgeoning technology is a way to drive both consumer consideration and eCommerce sales, since a guided tasting works best when you can sample along at home.”
Bourbon is a true sensorial experience – in the last five years alone, more than 2.5 million people have visited the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. However, as travel isn’t a reality for many at the moment, the Wild Turkey Virtual Guided Tasting tool is a way to drive interest in American Whiskey while speaking to a new audience of tech-savvy consumers. Unlike other whiskey-focused smart speaker skills that simply share recipes, the Wild Turkey Tasting is multi-dimensional, channeling the perspectives of the Russell family straight from Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Master Distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell – a father and son distilling duo with a combined 107 years of industry experience between them – personally lent their voices to guide consumers through a curated collection of Wild Turkey Whiskeys: Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon, Wild Turkey 101 Rye, Rare Breed Bourbon, Longbranch, and Kentucky Spirit.
From nosing and tasting to sharing humorous anecdotes that are quintessentially Wild Turkey, the audio tour is meant for both the novice whiskey drinker and the more mature connoisseur. Consumers not only learn about the different styles of Whiskeys made by the iconic American brand, but also about the distilling process, the palate, glassware, and more from the masters themselves. Along the way, the Russell family – Jimmy Russell, Eddie Russell, Bruce Russell and Joann Street – conveys the history of Wild Turkey and the craftsmanship that sets it apart. For those who don’t have their favorite Wild Turkey on hand, there is also a general Whiskey tasting. And consumers can ask questions from “can I add water to my whiskey?” to “tell me a fun fact about whiskey.” As an additional “Easter egg” component within the skill, Whiskey drinkers can unlock a special message from venerated actor Matthew McConaughey, Wild Turkey’s Creative Director and the co-creator of Longbranch.
To enable the Wild Turkey Tasting, Wild Turkey engaged the Voicify platform and partnered with Havas CX to design and execute the conversational experience, ensuring a seamless fit of the guided tasting into the brand’s broader customer experience.