In 2026, alcohol brands are still vying for attention — but the playbook has changed.
In the past, the big campaigns were about nostalgia and diversity. Today, the winning ideas are about moderation, personalization, and meeting a customer wherever they are on the "drink less, drink better" spectrum.
From a nonalcoholic (NA) beer becoming an Olympic sponsor to an AI tool that recommends your next cocktail, these are the campaigns shaping the industry conversation right now — and the lessons liquor retailers can borrow, no massive ad budget required.
The examples below aren't just creative — they're rooted in real consumer trends. The brands may be global, but the ideas behind their success can work just as well in a neighborhood liquor store.
Responsible alcohol marketing means promoting your products legally, ethically, and with the safety of your customers and community in mind. Pro tip: This brochure from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is a handy refresher on the rules.
Let's take a closer look at six standout campaigns, why they worked, and how liquor retailers can turn the same insights into action in their own stores — without needing a national marketing budget to do it.
(Image source: olympics.com)
Corona Cero, AB InBev's nonalcoholic beer, made history when it became the first beer brand ever to sponsor the Olympic Games. Its partnership extends through the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games and has helped put the growing NA category in front of a global audience. The "For Every Golden Moment" campaign connects everyday celebrations with iconic Olympic achievements, showing that meaningful moments don't have to be once-in-a-lifetime events.
The results speak for themselves — a reported 440% volume growth for the brand, 4.1 billion campaign impressions, and a 38% share of voice among all Olympic sponsors. For the Winter Games, Corona Cero expanded the idea with "Make It Summer" and "Time Cero" activations — immersive spaces where visitors could take a break from the fast-paced Olympic atmosphere, unwind, and connect with others.
The experiences reinforced the brand's focus on enjoying meaningful moments, not just celebrating big wins.
Corona Cero isn't asking people to focus on what's missing from the drink. It's focusing on the moments when people want something refreshing, social, and enjoyable — whether alcohol is involved or not.
That's the shift happening across the category: Nonalcoholic beverage demand in the U.S. is projected to jump from $298.4 billion in 2024 to $457 billion by 2030, and shoppers increasingly want NA options that fit real moments (game day, a night out, a quiet weeknight) rather than feeling like a consolation prize.
Related Read: Trending Alcoholic Drinks for 2026: What's Hot in Liquor Retail
You don't need a global sponsorship to sell an experience. Think about the occasions your customers already shop for — cookouts, watch parties, local festivals, or weekend get-togethers — and merchandise around those moments.
Build an endcap around whatever's happening locally — playoff season, a summer block party, a wine-and-cheese night — and stock NA and low-ABV options right alongside the full-strength versions. This way, shoppers seeking either can shop the same display.
Then, let your point of sale (POS) data do the targeting. If a customer's purchase history shows they've bought NA beer or low-ABV spritzers before, that's exactly who should get your next SMS blast about a new NA arrival — not your entire customer list.
(Image source: PR Newswire)
Arkay Zero Proof, a nonalcoholic spirits brand, planted a massive digital billboard in the heart of Times Square in July 2025 — a $6 million commitment, seen by an estimated 300,000+ people a day, following a $150 million funding deal with Licor Zone.
But the billboard wasn't the most interesting part. Arkay also invited other zero-proof brands to advertise on it for free, using its visibility to help grow awareness of the entire category.
Arkay's approach suggests the challenge isn't getting people interested in nonalcoholic spirits — it's making sure shoppers know the options are out there in the first place. And the data backs that up.
According to Bottle POS' own 2026 Liquor Retail Report, 81% of liquor stores already carry NA products, but less than half plan to expand that selection. That's a gap between what's on the shelf and how confidently it's being marketed.
Related Read: Nonalcoholic Drinks: Profit Opportunity or Waste of Shelf Space?
If you carry NA products, don't make customers search for them. A dedicated display, clear signage, or even a small zero-proof section near high-traffic areas can help shoppers discover options they might have otherwise missed.
There's also an opportunity to go beyond NA beer. According to Bottle POS' 2026 Liquor Retail Report, NA beer is widely available, but categories like NA wine, canned mocktails, and botanical spirits are much less common. Expanding or highlighting those options can help your store stand out while giving customers more reasons to explore the category.
(Image source: global drinks intel)
Athletic Brewing, the category-leading NA beer maker, ran its largest media investment ever in summer 2026 — backed by a 120% year-over-year increase in national ad spend — with a new commercial, "Exceed Every Expectation."
The campaign featured co-founder John Walker alongside respected voices from the food and beverage world, all making the case that Athletic's Run Wild IPA stands on its own as a great beer — not just a great nonalcoholic beer.
Athletic also expanded its reach through its first MLB athlete partnership with Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández and brought back Athletic January, an initiative designed to make moderation feel like a positive lifestyle choice rather than a restrictive New Year's resolution.
Athletic is tapping into a bigger shift in consumer behavior: People aren't just looking for alcohol-free alternatives. They're looking for products that genuinely deliver on flavor and experience. As moderation becomes more mainstream, brands that can compete on quality — not just function — are finding the most success.
Related Read: 6 Strategies and Trends To Increase Liquor Store Sales in 2026
Your team can have a bigger influence than you might think. If a staff member has a favorite NA beer or low-ABV option, highlight it with a shelf tag or small sign. Customers often appreciate a personal recommendation, especially when they're trying something new.
You can use seasonal moments to your advantage, too. During Dry January (or any time customers may be looking to cut back), identify shoppers who purchased NA or low-ABV products during the previous season and save them as a recurring audience. That way, next year's outreach is ready to go without rebuilding the list from scratch.
See how the Bottle POS Marketing Assistant makes it easy to create targeted campaigns directly from your point of sale.
(Image source: The Drum)
Diageo's "What's Your Cocktail?" campaign won Gold in the Data/Insight category at the 2025 Drum Awards for Marketing. The concept was simple: When someone was browsing recipes on sites like Simply Recipes, Allrecipes, or BBC Good Food, Diageo used FlavorPrint AI to suggest a cocktail that matched their tastes and what they were planning to eat.
The campaign worked because the recommendation appeared at exactly the right moment — when people were already thinking about food, drinks, and what to make next. By serving up a personalized suggestion instead of a generic ad, Diageo achieved engagement rates roughly four times higher than the industry average.
Consumers increasingly expect recommendations that feel relevant to them. Diageo uses AI to make that happen, but the bigger takeaway is that personalization works. Liquor retailers can do the same thing with something they already have: purchase history.
Related Read: Liquor Store Loyalty and Reward Programs: The Complete Guide
Most retailers already have the information they need. Purchase history tells you who's buying bourbon, who's buying tequila, and who's exploring NA products.
But don't stop there. Look for patterns between categories. Someone who regularly buys tequila and margarita mixers is a natural fit for a margarita bundle promotion. A customer who buys bourbon and cocktail syrups may be interested in bitters, premium glassware, or a new whiskey release.
Bottle POS ties purchase history directly to its SMS, email, and loyalty tools, making it easier to send recommendations based on how people actually shop — not just what category they bought last.
(Image source: AdAge)
Casamigos, Diageo's celebrity-founded tequila brand, launched "Anything Goes with My Casamigos" in May 2025 with creative agency Accomplice and director Alex Prager. The campaign builds out a whole creative world that focuses on the moments that bring people together.
It centers around a fictional "House of Friends" filled with recurring characters and memorable get-togethers, all built around a simple idea: Great tequila is best enjoyed with great company.
Casamigos is tapping into something liquor retailers are already seeing firsthand: Tequila isn't slowing down.
According to Bacardi's 2026 Cocktail Trends Report, the margarita remains one of the most popular cocktails in the world, while tequila and mezcal continue to attract interest from consumers looking to explore premium spirits. Bottle POS data shows the same trend, with 53% of liquor stores reporting plans to expand their tequila selection to meet demand.
Related Read: 10 Beer Promotions That Actually Increase Sales
Tequila is having a moment, so make it easy for customers to explore. Organize tequila by price point — everyday bottles, premium options, and top-shelf selections — so shoppers can quickly find something that fits their budget.
You can also merchandise around the occasion, not just the bottle. Consider displaying tequila alongside margarita essentials like triple sec, salt, and lime juice, or create a simple "margarita night" display to help customers grab everything they need in one place.
This strategy works for more than one type of retailer. Growth-oriented stores can use tequila to tap into rising consumer demand, while cost-pressured stores can lean into premium tequila as a higher-margin category that doesn't rely on discounting to drive sales.
(Image source: Marketing Dive)
Centenario Tequila's 2026 "Todo o Nada" ("All or Nothing") campaign is built around one simple idea: authenticity.
Instead of chasing trends, the brand leans into its Mexican heritage and the people, traditions, and culture behind the tequila. Timed around the excitement of the World Cup, the campaign celebrates pride, identity, and craftsmanship, reinforcing the idea that some brands resonate because they stand for something bigger than the product itself.
Centenario isn't selling small-batch scarcity — it's selling heritage.
The campaign shows that storytelling doesn't have to be about exclusivity or limited production runs. Even a globally distributed brand can build stronger connections by highlighting its history, cultural roots, and what makes it distinct. For consumers, those details often create a stronger emotional connection than any other price promotion ever could.
Many of the bottles on your shelves already have a story—customers just don't know it yet. Use shelf-talkers, signs, or staff recommendations to highlight where a spirit comes from, how it's made, or the traditions behind it.
You can also bring those stories to life through tastings, themed displays, and educational events. Whether it's a heritage tequila, an Irish whiskey around St. Patrick's Day, or a locally produced spirit, giving customers context helps products stand out and creates a more memorable shopping experience.
Related Read: Liquor Store Merchandising 101: Signage, Displays, and Layout
Every campaign above, whether it's an Olympic sponsorship or an AI cocktail recommender, is really doing the same thing: getting the right message in front of the right customer.
Corona Cero and Athletic Brewing are connecting with people looking for alcohol-free options. Casamigos and Centenario are speaking to shoppers who care about quality, craftsmanship, and the story behind the bottle. Diageo is using technology to make recommendations feel more personal.
The good news? You don't need Diageo's budget to do that.
You already have something many big brands would love: a direct relationship with your customers and a POS system that knows what they actually buy. Bottle POS helps you turn that purchase history into targeted SMS, email, and loyalty campaigns. So, when a new NA release, limited-edition tequila, or margarita bundle arrives, you can put it in front of the customers most likely to care — and take action.
Want to see how these trends are playing out in real liquor stores? Bottle POS surveyed and analyzed data from over 1,400 stores to find out.
Bottle POS was designed to be smart and simple. Instead of having hundreds of features that liquor store owners won't use, we concentrate on the features that really make a difference.
