As we waste away — or thrive, depending on your style — in quarantine, happy hour has been starting earlier and earlier. Bars are closed and your couch is the new neighborhood haunt. The drinks are cheap and last call never comes, as long as you’re stocked up on the “essentials.”
In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, liquor stores are considered “essential business” for every state except Pennsylvania. Luckily, those who want their booze without the risk of leaving their homes can order from local retailers using the alcohol e-commerce platform Drizly ($PRIVATE:DRIZLY).
Drizly’s Facebook ($FB) mentions hit an all-time peak this month as people began settling into their newly quarantined lifestyles. The company’s ‘Talking About’ count shot up 84% within the first few weeks of March.
Placing an order is easy enough, but selecting a quarantine beverage can be tricky. Drinks like tequila and prosecco feel oddly celebratory and too much whiskey might send you into a moody spiral. Many have opted for the “quarantini,” which is just a martini with a splash of panic.
A bottle of Corona ($BUD) is an off-color choice, for sure. Maybe you would've gotten away with it a month ago. Maybe. But it’s safe to say that all Coronavirus jokes and puns are now off the table. That said, Corona’s sales are actually up this year. It's even gaining Twitter followers.
Corona's Twitter following has increased by 28% since late January when the first Coronavirus case was confirmed in the US. The beer brand has been strategically silent regarding the virus— its Twitter page mostly features pictures of people at the beach. It’s unclear whether these new followers are earnest or ironic, or if they’re just confused and don’t know where to find Coronavirus updates.
Wine drinkers seem to be having more than just a glass with dinner this month. The 'Talking About' count for Willamette Valley Vineyards ($WVVI) grew 362% over the course of a week.
Andrew Peller-owned ($TSX:ADW.B) wine companies like Red Rooster, Trius, and Sandhill have experienced similar spikes on Facebook. Mentions of Wayne Gretzky Estates — which sells wine, whiskey, and beer — increased 900% in just seven days. Sandhill's went up more than 9,000%.
Two weeks ago, we reported that Ketel One ($DEO) was losing Facebook followers, but the vodka brand has seen a recent surge in social media attention. Ketel One's Facebook mentions jumped to 959 last week, up almost 5,000% from earlier in the month.
Whatever you imbibe during this period, please do so responsibly.
About the Data:
Thinknum tracks companies using the information they post online - jobs, social and web traffic, product sales and app ratings - and creates data sets that measure factors like hiring, revenue and foot traffic. Data sets may not be fully comprehensive (they only account for what is available on the web), but they can be used to gauge performance factors like staffing and sales.