Whisky brand Maker?s Mark recently launched a new mobile Web Site to accommodate the increasing traffic it is seeing from the medium.

The new mobile site highlights the brand?s focus on heritage, craftsmanship and quality and reflects feedback from fans. Maker's Mark used adaptive design, which allows a site to adapt to a device using a predefined set of layout sizes based on screen size.

?We have always viewed our Web site as an important way for visitors to become part of the Maker?s Mark experience,? said Rob Samuels, chief operating officer at Maker?s Mark, Loretto, KY.

?When we discovered that nearly half of our visits were coming from mobile devices, we knew we had to find a way to provide the best possible experience, regardless of the device used,? he said.

?In order to provide visitors to our site with the ultimate user experience, we determined that there was no better format than adaptive design to deliver consistency when visiting the website across all browsers, platforms and devices.?

Quality whisky
Maker?s Mark?s new Web site offers interesting recipes and cocktails that consumers can make using the brand?s products. It also explains the distillation process and provides an in-depth look at the brand?s distillery in Louisville, KY.

Additionally, the site showcases a gallery for consumers to search through collectable bottles, images and videos from advertising archives.

Pictures of the distillery and the people involved in Maker?s Mark are accessible via the site. The company also provides a look at Maker?s Mark history in the ?Our Story? section.

Consumers can also engage with the site via social media. They can connect on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Another update to the site revolves around search functionality. Consumers can use content topic tags at the bottom of every page to search for similar information on the site.

The site also integrates with the Maker?s Mark Ambassador mobile application for easy access. Maker's Mark Ambassadors receive special rewards in exchange for sharing their experience with others.

All of the updated features reflect feedback from Maker?s Mark Ambassadors.

For example, the company received requests for more food recipes in addition to drink recipes. They also requested an easier way to search the Web site.

Mobile sites
Since 42 percent of the brand?s traffic stemmed from mobile, the company made sure to optimize the site for the medium. The site features a new layout that lets consumer connect with Maker?s Mark on the go.

A quality mobile site is important for any brand, and other whisky companies have realized this as well.

Last year, Jack Daniel?s redesigned its mobile site to better accommodate tech-savvy consumers (see story).

Jim Beam rolled out a mobile site back in 2008 along with mobile bar codes on the brand?s bourbon bottles (see story).

?Mobile should be important to any brand that is looking to best connect with their audience,? Mr. Samuels said.

?It would be a disservice to our customers if we ignored mobile as an avenue to inform, share, and communicate,? he said.?

?As I mentioned in a letter to Maker?s Mark Ambassadors announcing the launch of the new site: What goes into the bottles hasn?t changed for over half a century, but every now and then we like to keep up with the times.?

Final Take
Rebecca Borison is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York