5 Lessons From A Wet January
Throughout January a couple of friends and I indulged again in what has become a regular fixture - “ChinChinJanuary”. The premise is a simple one - whilst the world puts itself through the misery of “Dry January” we commit to drinking a different alcoholic beverage every day. The intention is to drink as many different types of drink as possible but we do allow moderate use of repertoire drinking within a category if it’s different varietals (wine, beer) or brands !
Beyond 1 (it is only 1 !) drink a day it got me thinking about the wider benefits;
(1) Being A Contrarian (sometimes) Is Fun
January, even without a pandemic, is easily the bleakest month. Clearly it makes no sense to withhold a simple pleasure. If you are going to abstain why not June when there are plenty of distractions.
Running with the pack can be tempting but it’s also exhausting. Doing your own thing because it works for you is critical. I’d argue it is ‘mission critical’. This isn’t permission to go right every time everyone else goes left but it is a call to do what is important to you. Drinking in January was our little act of rebellion and it probably helped spur some more.
(2) It’s Good To Be Reminded Of Things You Forgot You Enjoyed
Like most things in life we default to the comfortable (and reliable) over time - in the context of ChinChinJanuary for me thats wine, whisky and gin. But last month reminded me that I really do enjoy beer and that there are probably reasons why every memorable night out has a number of espresso martinis at its conclusion.
The quest to find 31 different drinks is a reminder that we narrow our choices too much. Take a moment and think of the things you used to enjoy and why you no longer do them. Then change.
(3) Having A “Silly” Project Gets You Through Dark Days
Beyond the pleasure of a drink, as the days go on it becomes a project - not an onerous one but one with moving parts - what will I drink, what will I eat with it, what glassware will I use, how will I photograph this for Instagram, what will the other drinks tonight ? Small stuff but refreshing to have an ownable project thats all fun.
As we enter our 12th month of changed behaviour because of COVID-19 it’s not too late to start your own project.
(4) Keep In Touch With Good People
It’s important to work hard at keeping your network (business and friends) close, especially those who are geographically distanced. Lockdown has sometimes shrunk our circles. Break the routine and reach out to those who you’ve not spoken with and perhaps find a common interest you can use to keep the connection alive.
(5) Alcohol Marketers Are the Best Marketers (Bias)
I’ve always thought this but as someone who spent 12 years as one, modesty usually prevents me from saying it. A highly competitive (and regulated) sector - everyone is doing the same thing with the same basic ingredients - brands have to bring their “A-game” to cut through. It’s been fun looking at packaging, verbiage and positioning.
Which is my final point. Sometimes we spend so much time focused on a product / brand we forget about the wider field. Put yourself in the consumers place as much as you can and stay aware and competitive.
And the final drink ? It was my favourite the Gibson Martini. Only, it wasn’t the final one - we had so much fun we decided to continue with FermentationFebruary !
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Izatt is a brand consultant living in London and founder of Mission Critical, a highly focused and curated weekly briefing for time poor and information hungry decision makers. Mission Critical is a digital product delivered via his Estonian Consultancy business.
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