New Jack Daniels for women, offensive?

By +Tina Cruris

With the liquor world getting more and more competitive, major labels are doing whatever they can to lure in more drinkers from other areas to maintain their market share. One such trend is the appearance and growth of whiskey liqueurs. Whiskey variants made with honey, cherry or cinnamon flavors are becoming more common and more sickly sweet, in a covert attempt to draw more women into the world of whiskey.

Do you find this ad offensive?

Until now, nobody had come out and said, "Here is a whiskey that doesn't taste like whiskey so that women can enjoy it too," but Jack Daniel's have finally taken that step with their newest release in the MTW (Marketed To Women) category, the sweet, cherry flavored Jill Daniel's.

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This is a bold move, considering that the campaign could potentially explode in the marketer's face. Especially if women take it to mean that they are not able to enjoy regular whiskey and must have a diluted, flavored substitute. I know many women who can't stand the taste of whiskey and would never dream of asking for a Jack and coke in a bar, but have enjoyed Crown Royal Maple or Jim Beam Honey. I also know a lot of women, including myself, who enjoy drinking whiskey, especially top end bourbon. Those are the women who would take offense to this kind of advertising, and that's the kind of women that you do not want to lose as customers. 

What do you think of the new flavored whiskey category? Is it sacrilege to mess with whiskey? Is it a good idea to introduce people to whiskey with this gentler more subtle approach? Have you tried any flavored whiskey? Did you enjoy it? Share your opinion below.