Aperol Spritz is one of the best examples of Category Entry Points in the alcohol category, with a heavy focus on the apéritif moment. The apéritif is a pre-dinner drink traditionally very popular in southern Europe to stimulate an appetite, but now very much a ritual for many a consumer across most demographics globally. The focus on this CEP helped Aperol create a foothold across cafes & restaurants globally, creating a popular ask for consumers, while also heavily featuring on menus. Aperol to this day still focuses on this CEP across their communications, in doing so knowing its importance, but as the brand has scaled in more mature markets it has also become salient for at-home consumption CEPs, especially in times of good weather.
Many brands can learn from this approach, having one or a few hero CEPs that remain consistent and drive volume, which can be the focus in early-stage markets. However, the breadth of CEPs should grow over time in order to scale, hence brands like Aperol also put lots of energy into the off-trade to target at-home gatherings or other new related CEPs. This is a further example of where mental and physical availability overlap. The brand, through its communications, needs to drive salience for “drinking at home” CEPs, but they also need to be prominent from a physical availability perspective, ensuring good listings and shopper marketing specials.