Dive Brief:

• Anheuser-Busch InBev brand Nütrl Vodka Seltzer launched its first national campaign, “Nütrl. The One with the Umlaut,” on Tuesday (Feb. 28), according to information shared with Marketing Dive. 
• The effort stars “Saturday Night Live” actor Chloe Fineman as “Günter,” a vodka seltzer sommelier who emphasizes the simplicity of the seltzer for its straightforward ingredient list, but teases the brand for using the umlaut — the two dots over the “u” in Nütrl — as it is seemingly the drink’s only frill.
• The campaign includes eight total commercials, including four 15-second spots and four 6-second spots. The effort, developed with The Martin Agency, will roll out in the United States over the coming months across connected TV, digital, out-of-home, social media, radio and retail channels.

Dive Insight:

In an arena that is growing increasingly competitive, AB InBev’s Nütrl Vodka Seltzer is seemingly aiming to use simplicity as its competitive edge, noting in campaign materials that its three main ingredients are vodka, seltzer and real juice. Nütrl’s sister brand, Cutwater Spirits, recently took a similar approach in a recent campaign and rebrand.

Nütrl’s focus on wellness comes at a time where consumers have grown to prioritize healthy lifestyles. According to a study by McKinsey, 50% of consumers in the U.S. list wellness as a top priority in their day-to-day lives, up from 42% in 2020. Meant to get the message across in a cheeky way, “SNL” star Fineman is seen in the spots sporting a monochromatic look meant to allude to the simplicity of Nütrl, the release details, noting in one spot that “everything is here for a reason.” Fineman’s writing partner, Casey Thomas Brown, assisted with the effort.

“It’s no secret that consumers are moving away from over-engineered and over-complicated products, but instead are prioritizing quality and taste," said Marisa Siegel, vice president of marketing for Nütrl Vodka Seltzer, in the release. 

Intended to expand parent company AB InBev’s Beyond Beer portfolio, Nütrl was launched in 2021. The addition of the beverage sees its parent looking for a share of the increasingly saturated but successful canned cocktail category at a time where beer is occupying a smaller portion of the alcohol marketplace. Canned cocktails represent the fastest growing spirit category in 2021, with the category growing 42.3% in 2021 to $1.6 billion compared to the year prior.