The Gist by Sightlines

In this episode of The Gist podcast, Michael Kiser and Kate Bernot explore America's massively successful campaign against underage drinking, and what it means for broader trends in alcohol consumption.  Study after study and survey after survey indicate that teenagers today are drinking at vastly lower rates than prior generations. This is unequivocally a good thing. What's more complicated, howe...

Beverages on the intoxicating end of the functional spectrum have never been more varied - and neither have the experiences and relavitve cognitive dissonance of attending their major industry conferences. The narratives around what does and doesnt' connect with consumers, and what's driving growth is often over simplified, biased toward regulation and politics, and more often than not, shockingly...

Giving context to top news from across alcohol through the reporting and research we've conducted at Sightlines: Constellation Brands Off-Loads its Wine Portfolio The country's third-largest wine supplier is reportedly exiting the category all together. Why and why now? Wine has been in a hard spot for some time. From Sightlines: History Doesn't Cut It — Wine Needs to Speak Differently to Connect...

Giving context to top news from across alcohol through the reporting and research we've conducted at Sightlines: The Geographical Shifts in Hemp-Derived THC Consumers As the hemp-derived industry continues to grow, Sightlines offers new insights on regional differences of who's buying and the perspectives that shape consumer views and experiences with THC. The Surprising Regionality of Hemp-Derive...

Giving context to top news from across alcohol through the reporting and research we've conducted at Sightlines: Wine is getting crushed Silicon Valley Bank's annual wine industry report tells a bleak story in coming years for the category. But that doesn't mean wine is a lost cause. Wine Needs to Speak Differently to Connect with Young Drinkers https://www.sightlines.news/analysis/wine-needs-to-s...

Giving context to top news from across alcohol through the reporting and research we've conducted at Sightlines: The U.S. Surgeon General takes on alcohol An advisory notice from the Surgeon General includes a series of recommendations to increase awareness of potential connections between alcohol and cancer. Among the suggestions is to update the existing Surgeon General's health warning label on...

Giving context to top news from across alcohol through the reporting and research we've conducted at Sightlines: Tariffs on the table With president-elect Donald Trump talking up taxes on goods from foreign countries, understand what's actually at stake and how consumers might react. In Spirits, Branding Beats Budget Worries https://www.sightlines.news/analysis/in-spirits-branding-beats-budget-wor...

Giving context to top news from across alcohol through the reporting and research we've conducted at Sightlines: The Binge Watch High-volume drinking happens earlier in the day—a trend that tracks with other behavioral changes of American drinkers. Binge Drinking Shifts to Daytime Occasions for On-Premise https://www.sightlines.news/analysis/binge-drinking-shifts-to-daytime-occasions-for-on-premis...

Giving context to top news from across alcohol through the reporting and research we've conducted at Sightlines:   1. Better understand the THC consumer Sightlines insights have showcased how people who use cannabis also drink alcohol and what that could mean for sales of some categories. We'll also explore new data about who's using THC products. How Cannabis Use Could Impact On-Premise Drink Pur...

Giving context to top news from across alcohol through the reporting and research we've conducted at Sightlines: 1. Hemp-derived products have become one of the fastest-growing segments in beverage. Distributors now have a green light to pursue a segment with broad consumer interest and big margins. Format, Familiarity Push Delta-8 Drinks to Top of Growth Chart https://www.sightlines.news/analysis...

Giving context to top news from across alcohol through the reporting and research we've conducted at Sightlines: 1. Beer produced and sold in the U.S. continues a downward trajectory. Latest data from the Beer Institute shows that between May and July, American breweries declined 10 million barrels compared to the same time frame a decade ago. So, what's the cause? It's easy to point at cannabis o...

A summary of reporting and research we've conducted at Sightlines in recent weeks: 1. Michelob Ultra will become the #2 beer in America by dollar sales this year, overtaking Bud Light and trailing only Modelo Especial. Bryan clocked this back in March 2022, for what it's worth. Sightlines previewed this change in March 2022 and recently shared context about how and why Michelob Ultra found this ne...