bally for both straight and flavored vodka products are members of Generation X (Miller, 1995, pp. 1-2). The reason for the emphasis on Generation X is that this generation of young people, in contrast with their immediate predecessor generation, are demonstrating a preference for hard liquor in some markets, and producers of alcoholic beverages are in a race to develop both product and brand loyalty in the formative period for the young imbibers (Miller, 1995, pp. 1-2). For some of the more esoteric flavored vodkas produced under the Absolut brand name, the target market shifts upward in age to the 30-to-40 year old age group (Miller, 1995, p. 22). The global target market is not as relevant in France as it is in some other European countries because of (1) the unassailable position of wines in the French alcoholic beverage market, and (2) the strong position of flavored liqueurs in the French market.
France is a country which is very proud of its wines and produces a vast range of qualities and tastes to suit virtually every consumer (Wine, 1992, pp. 65-98). In a country where the regional origin of wine is a matter of intense pride there is a certain reluctance to group wines together under umbrella terms. Nevertheless, the market can be divided into two major categories and a number of more specialized sectors. Among alcoholic beverages generally, however, the popularity of wines dictates a relatively small market for competing alcoholic beverages. Thus, the vodka market is a segment of the hard liquor market, which is a minor segment of the alcoholic beverage market in France (Wine, 1992, pp. 65-98). Absolut brand vodka is not the leader in the French vodka sub-segment; however, the brand is second to Stolichnaya brand vodka, a Russian product (Miller, 1995, p. 22). Absolut brand vodka is the leader in the quite small flavored vodka sub-sub-segment of the alcohol beverage market in France.
The implementation of the ...