Playboy, a male-oriented lifestyle and fashion brand, is encroaching on the vodka market. Launching its vodka seltzer line Play Hard, the branching into alcoholic beverages targets young consumers.
Play Hard is a joint collaboration between PLBY Group’s Playboy Spirits, a lifestyle brand developed in 2022, and Spirits Investment Partners (SIP), a Chicago-based company founded in 2015. The joint venture began in January 2023 when PLBY Group revealed its $13 million investment plan in the alcohol beverage business.
Featuring the portrait of a rabbit, the Illinois-based brand has been famous since its birth in 1953. Popular for its photo spreads and sexual revolution, the Playboy brand embodies prestige and sexiness.
Likewise, this time, the brand has curated its latest lifestyle offering considering Gen Z and millennials. Using a consumer assessment, Playboy has synthesised unique flavours to integrate a bold approach.
Although its availability is restricted to select stores in Miami and Orlando, it has the full potential to expand globally by 2024.
As a part of its newest offering, the Play Hard vodka seltzer features artwork by Andy Warhol. Tapping into some of the finest work of pop artists from the 20th century is a creative step by Playboy. Thus, this beautiful intersection of art and culture depicts the brand’s artistic depth and contemporary relevance.
Introducing the vodka expansion, CEO of Playboy Spirits and SIP Marc Bushala said, “PLAY HARD seltzers capture Playboy’s legacy as a bon vivant lifestyle brand and modern spirit, inviting everyone to express themselves, live boldly, and enjoy themselves.”
Playboy Open Its Vaults to the Hard Seltzer Line
As the first in the ready-to-drink category, the new vodka series is low-calorie and gluten-free. Furthermore, the brand has incorporated sparkling water and less intense flavours.
For salient characteristics, the brand has made it incredibly lightweight at around 12 ounces. Each slim can contains the right proportion of elements: 3g of carbs, 110 calories, and a 4.5% ABV percentage.
Additionally, the vodka seltzer RTDs (ready-to-drink) are available in four exotic flavours: Mango Dragon Fruit, Grapefruit Yuzu, Pineapple Passion Fruit, and Apple Prickly Pear.
In terms of price, Playboy has not revealed the price of Play Hard yet, but consumers can expect a price that befits it. For instance, its first bourbon, Rare Hare 1953, released in June 2022, sold at a hefty price of $589. Its next launch, Lucky Bastard, cost around $600.
As the brand claims to produce Gen Z and millennial-oriented products, Playboy may charge a reasonable amount for its newest offering. However, competition is stiff in this category as youth skew towards hard seltzer, possibly due to health reasons.
According to Grand View Research, the hard seltzer market stood at $4.4 billion in 2019. Scientists speculate that by 2027, the market will expand by 16%, hitting a record business of $14.5 billion.
Despite these setbacks, Playboy expressed high enthusiasm while entering the vodka market. According to the brand, Play Hard celebrates self-expression. Therefore, the brand focuses on delivering the best, no matter what the outcome.
