In 2022, almost 1 in 5 On Premise consumers said they visited Nightclubs, and although Casual Nightclubs proved more popular than the Premium alternatives, a higher percentage of consumers frequented Premium Nightclubs on a weekly basis compared to Casual Nightclubs.
CGA by NielsenIQ’s Channel Strategy Report offers a comprehensive overview of the Nightclub channel, uncovering profiles of interest, information around consumer visitation, and their consumption behaviours within the channel – key to informing successful On Premise strategies.
There’s clear desire for Nightclub visits amongst On Premise consumers, with confidence returning in comparison to 2021, where 2 in 5 consumers said they were unlikely to visit Nightclubs again in the following 12 months, growing to 1 in 5 in 2022. The report shows the typical Nightclub visitor as significantly younger and usually spending more on both alcohol and eating/drinking, this opens a door of opportunity to suppliers and operators to target this specific consumer segment.
Looking at consumers’ key drivers to visit Nightclubs, 3 in 5 choose to visit the channel to catch up with friends for both Casual and Premium Nightclubs. Consumers are most likely to visit with friends, and with Group deals/offers performing well in Nightclubs, there’s an opportunity for venues to capitalize on this occasion.
An important factor for consumers choosing to visit the channel was drinks pricing (42%), but when comparing this to those visiting Premium Nightclubs price was less of a concern, dropping 10 percentage points. Another driver was consumers opting for their usual drink (41%), but Premium Nightclub visitors show more of a desire to switch up their usual, with only 31% choosing their usual/go-to drink when visiting.
Focusing on category consumption – Liquor/Spirits are the most popular drinks choice amongst Nightclub visitors (53%), with Cocktails coming in second (43%) and proving more popular amongst women. While Wine (28%), single serve RTDs (25%) and Hard Seltzers (23%) are well-received in Casual Nightclubs, they prove even more popular in Premium Nightclubs. This highlights an opportunity for suppliers to capitalize on consumers’ willingness to spend more in this channel, and promote their premium brands within these categories.
A key point to highlight is the flexibility when it comes to the Nightclub audience. Compared to other channel audiences, nightclub visitors are the least likely to stick with the same category and brand, and even a third of Nightclub visitors drink multiple drinks categories during their visit, with ‘wanting to experiment’ being one of the biggest motivators. This provides a great opportunity to influence consumers on their drink choice, emphasizing the quality and excitement of a brand could entice those looking to experiment during their visit.
Matthew Crompton, Regional Director – Americas, said: “There’s a huge opportunity to take advantage of the desire to experiment within the Nightclub audience. Brands, suppliers, and operators should be looking at all the factors that inform the decision-making process and consider these when creating strategic plans for the year ahead.”
To learn more about CGA by NielsenIQ’s Channel Strategy report and its insights into Nightclubs, Experiential bars, Arenas/Stadiums, Sports bars, Casual Dining Chains, Fine Dining and more, contact Matthew Crompton at matthew.crompton@cgastrategy.com
