Shelf Life 050: Gen Z Is Drinking Less, But Spirits Packaging Is Attempting To Lure Them Back

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The spirits industry has, historically, leaned masculine. 

When it comes to alcohol consumption, men do drink more than women globally, according to the Natinal Library of Medicine. But beyond just who is drinking, alcohol branding has long been steeped in “masculine energy,” shaping how it’s marketed and even how it looks. Advertising has historically leaned on sexism, often depicting women as objects of desire, existing solely for the male gaze—think Canadian Club Whiskey and vintage Miller High Life ads or even the sleek, hyper-sexualized Skyy vodka imagery.