Double Forte
Rapid execution has become a new baseline for PR practitioners. AI has made it possible for teams of any size and budget to draft press releases, generate pitches, and synthesize information in seconds. The result is a flood of competent but interchangeable output. As AI equalizes access to speed and execution, the thinking behind those outputs is increasingly serving as the primary point of differentiation. Human insight, rooted in perspective, originality, and cultural awareness, can help brands to create distinct, compelling narratives that resonate with audiences and drive impact.
Differentiating With Deep Insight
Deep insight reflects an ability to interpret what’s happening beneath the surface and translate that understanding into meaningful action. It connects signals across culture, audience behavior, and industry dynamics to answer two critical questions: why does this matter, and what should we do about it?
Insight-driven differentiation requires discipline. It depends on continuous analysis, critical thinking, and a willingness to challenge default approaches. In practice, that means leaning into a set of insight-first methods.
Deepen Audience Understanding
Insight-driven approaches focus on behavior, intent and tension over demographics and broad audience personas. Analyze what audiences are struggling with, what motivates them to engage and what language resonates. Messaging should reflect those realities to drive higher relevance and stronger responses.
Expand Narrative Intelligence
Analyze how narratives evolve over time, who is shaping them and where they are heading next. Map storylines across outlets, identify inflection points and understand what is driving shifts. Teams that detect repositioning early can adjust messaging before the narrative becomes saturated.
Identify Whitespace
AI tends to reinforce existing patterns because it is trained on historical data. Review what angles dominate a topic and look for gaps in coverage and perspective. A brand that utilizes an underrepresented angle faces less competition for attention and can deliver more value to journalists.
Synthesize Insights Across Datasets
Approaches for answering specific questions are often confined to a single dataset or channel. Deeper insights come from connecting signals across sources. For example, link shifts in search behavior with media coverage and social discussion to identify emerging priorities. Cross-platform synthesis reveals patterns that isolated analyses miss and supports more confident decision making.
Connect to a Larger Story
Many announcements default to product features or company milestones. Reframe these events through broader themes that matter to external audiences, such as changing consumer behaviors or economic pressures. This shift increases relevance and expands the potential for coverage.
Personalize Outreach
Generic outreach fails because it ignores the specific interests of each journalist or creator. Analyze recent work, identify gaps or unanswered questions and tailor pitches accordingly. This approach positions your brand as a contributor versus an interruption.
Evolve Measurement Beyond Outputs
Track how different narratives influence perception and behavior. Check messaging for alignment with emerging themes and evaluate how coverage contributes to longer-term positioning goals. This approach creates connective tissue between PR activity and business outcomes.
AI can support this process by accelerating data collection and summarization, but without deeper thinking, it offers uniformity. Teams that invest in analytical capability and building domain expertise will outperform those that rely on AI-generated suggestions. Strong thinking shapes stronger stories, and stronger stories earn attention.
PR is changing quickly, with AI reshaping daily workflows, new questions emerging around Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), and increased pressure to prove business impact.
Muck Rack, a PR and communications platform used by thousands of companies (including Double Forte) for media relations monitoring and measurement, surveyed 1,115 PR professionals to gather insights for its 2026 State of PR Report. The final report reflects input from participants across agencies, brands, non-profits, consulting firms, and other organizations.
Below are five key takeaways from the 2026 report that stood out to our team.
1. AI Has Officially Become Part of the Standard PR Toolkit
Generative AI has moved firmly into everyday workflows across industries. 80% of PR professionals now use it regularly, up from 77% last year. Another 8% plan to explore it, leaving only a small share of the PR industry without any plans to adopt this technology.
AI and automation also remain the top area expected to grow in importance over the next five years, selected by 61% of respondents. For PR teams, the focus is shifting from whether to use AI to how to apply it responsibly, improve efficiency, and protect the quality and accuracy of communications work.
Double Forte also strongly urges professionals and agencies to deploy clear policies, protocols, and training around AI in the workplace to ensure these tools are being used ethically and maximizing the team’s capabilities rather than hindering them.
2. GEO is Gaining Traction
Nearly 73% of respondents consider GEO at least somewhat important to their communications strategy. Still, many organizations still lack a clear structure for managing it, with 29% reporting no one owns GEO within their organization, while another 13% are unsure who does.
PR and communications teams are most commonly named as the owners, but only at a rate of 24%. We know that earned media results (owned by PR teams) and owned website content (no dominant owner) are the key drivers of GEO results. This points to a need for closer coordination across communications, marketing, SEO, and content teams as organizations determine how to manage AI visibility, content authority, and measurement.
3. Thought Leadership Continues to Grow
While media relations remains the foundation of PR, with 84% of respondents saying it accounts for at least a quarter of their job, thought leadership now ranks second at 51%, up six percentage points from last year.
This growth reflects the expanding role PR teams play in shaping executive platforms, developing expert perspectives, and translating company knowledge into relevant commentary. Strong thought leadership also supports media relations, owned content, executive visibility, and broader reputation goals.
4. Measurable Results Remain the Strongest Proof of PR’s Value
Nearly 70% of respondents reported that producing measurable results is the most effective way to demonstrate PR’s value to clients and company leadership. Other approaches, including improving executive visibility and delivering creative solutions, ranked significantly behind.
This reinforces the importance of defining success at the start of a program. Beyond impressions, PR teams now have access to an array of measures such as sentiment, message pull-through, share of voice, search visibility, and audience engagement. The strongest reporting connects these factors to business and communications goals.
5. Authority is Becoming Part of AI Visibility Strategy
PR teams are increasingly treating credibility as a key part of their AI strategy. 55% are securing coverage in high-authority publications to improve visibility in AI-generated responses. Half are also creating more authoritative or data-driven content, while 50% are optimizing content specifically for AI searchability.
This gives earned media an added role beyond reaching readers in the moment. Coverage in respected national, regional, trade, and niche publications can also help establish a stronger body of credible information about a brand for AI search engines to pull from. For many organizations, smaller industry outlets hold significant value because of their subject-matter expertise and relevance.
Want to hear more about the current state of PR and how to use these learnings to your company’s advantage? Reach out to the Double Forte team to learn more.
By Ava Lund
For decades, earned media followed a familiar formula. Secure coverage in a respected publication, reach the right audience, and build credibility through third-party validation.
That formula still works. The “traditional” media landscape does not.
Audiences no longer rely solely on newspapers, trade publications, or broadcast outlets to stay informed. Now they turn to podcasts during their commute, newsletters in their inbox, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram creators they trust, and industry experts who have built media brands of their own.
This shift changes more than where stories appear. It changes where influence lives. As audiences spread their attention across more channels, PR teams need to rethink how they define media, build relationships, and measure success.
Journalist Influence No Longer Lives Exclusively in Traditional Media
The definition of earned media has expanded far beyond the newsroom.
Podcasts, newsletters, and creator-led platforms now shape industry conversations alongside traditional publications. Many attract highly engaged audiences that rival established media outlets within specific sectors.
The shift reflects a broader change in audience behavior. People no longer wait for editors, producers, or algorithms to decide what deserves attention. Instead, they choose the voices they trust and follow those experts across multiple platforms.
For brands, media opportunities now extend well beyond a reporter interview or a feature article. The most effective communications strategies recognize influence wherever audiences seek information.
Attention Matters More Than Reach
Audience size still matters, but attention has become dramatically more valuable.
Podcasts illustrate this shift clearly. According to Edison Research’s Infinite Dial 2025 report, 55% of Americans age 12 and older listen to podcasts each month, the highest level on record.
The appeal goes beyond convenience. Audiences seek context, expertise, and conversation, qualities that short-form content often struggles to deliver. Podcasts give leaders room to explain ideas, challenge assumptions, and share experiences in their words. Listeners gain a fuller picture than they would from a quote in an article or a social media post.
That depth creates a powerful advantage. While social content competes for seconds of attention, podcast audiences often spend 30 minutes or more with a single episode. Those extended conversations build credibility, strengthen trust, and create stronger audience connections.
Newsletters offer a similar advantage. Publishers have doubled down on one channel they can fully control: what they send to your inbox. Newsletters have evolved from a supporting product into a core part of many media strategies, giving publishers a direct line to readers without relying on algorithms or shifting platform rules.
Reuters Institute research shows that media organizations continue to invest in products that strengthen direct audience relationships as traffic from search and social platforms becomes less predictable.
A mention in a respected industry newsletter may generate less reach than a national headline, but it often reaches the exact audience a brand wants to influence. In a fragmented media environment, relevance carries as much weight as scale.
Trust Has Shifted From Institutions to Individuals
One of the most significant changes in earned media involves who owns the audience.
Journalists, analysts, and industry experts increasingly build independent media brands through newsletters, podcasts, YouTube channels, and paid communities. Many attract loyal audiences that rival traditional media outlets within specific industries.
These creators succeed because audiences trust individuals whose expertise they value and whose perspectives they understand. Trust often begins with the person behind the content rather than the institution that publishes it.
This shift expands the scope of media relations. Strong relationships with reporters remain essential, but independent creators now shape industry conversations, influence opinions, and drive awareness across highly engaged communities.
The Future of Earned Media Runs on Trust
The future of earned media is not about replacing traditional publications. It is about recognizing that influence now exists across a much broader ecosystem.
Traditional outlets continue to provide authority and credibility, while podcasts offer depth, newsletters create direct audience relationships, and independent creators build trust within highly engaged communities.
The strongest PR strategies will combine these channels rather than treat them as separate opportunities.
As media habits evolve, earned media success will depend less on where a story appears and more on whether audiences trust the source behind it. Brands that adapt first will earn attention in the places that matter most and build credibility with the audiences that shape their future.
By Ava Stepanian
What Gen Z is Craving
Not long ago, the quintessential drink for young adults was an espresso martini or spicy margarita. On weekends, most young people went out to bars or clubs, dancing until closing time with a mixed drink in hand.
Today, due largely to rising costs and a growing desire for meaningful social connections, young adults are ditching the clubs (at least some of the time), and instead hosting intimate, at-home gatherings with close friends and a bottle of wine. While 15% of people in their twenties still report partying every weekend, a clear trend is emerging, with much of the younger generation craving more personal and cost-conscious social experiences. Compounded by the rise of digital fatigue, this shift has resulted in wine representing more than just a beverage; it has become associated with a certain lifestyle that much of Gen Z, which includes people born between the years 1996 and 2007, is craving.
The Decline of Party Culture And Rise of Intimate Gatherings at Home
Gen Z has become known as the “dry generation,” with 61% of people globally between ages 18 and 30 reporting that they are going out to bars and clubs less frequently. Financial stress, wellness culture, and mental health awareness have influenced what younger consumers are drinking and how they are consuming. When Gen Z does choose to drink, there is often an emphasis placed on prioritizing cost, moderation, and mindfulness.
According to WellPower, there are plenty of reasons why Gen Z doesn’t feel fulfilled by clubbing culture, unlike their older counterparts. With the cost of living rising faster than wages, many people in their twenties are skipping clubs to avoid the financial hangover that often comes with a night out. Between cover charges, drinks, and rideshare fees, the average person spends between $55 and $120 on a night out at a high-end club. Hosting friends at home offers a more affordable way to socialize without sacrificing the experience. TimeOut shared one 22-year-old’s story, who was quoted as saying, “I […] cannot afford to be a party girl right now.”
Emphasizing mental and financial wellbeing, there is a desire among younger consumers for:
- Low cost social activities
- Quieter, more conversational environments
- Curated experiences
- Social settings focused on connection
Gen Z craves a sense of community and searches for events and settings where they can have more intimate experiences. For a generation constantly overwhelmed by endless streams of information and digital stimulation, these meaningful and mindful experiences are exactly what many Gen Z-ers are seeking. The appeal of wine often lies in the social experience it creates for younger consumers, rather than the alcohol content. A bottle of wine shared with friends at happy hour or at home creates an intentional experience.
How Social Media is Inspiring At-Home Wine Tastings
Young adults are increasingly choosing to socialize at home rather than spend money on expensive nights out. As a result, wine has become a centerpiece for hosting at home gatherings, offering an affordable way to elevate the experience and bring people together without elevating the price. These trends reflect a broader shift in how younger consumers are approaching wine, a shift that is amplified through social media, with at-home gatherings becoming a major source of inspiration for Gen Z.
On platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, wine content increasingly focuses on shared experiences, group gatherings, and community-driven recommendations rather than traditional tasting rules. Viral videos such as at-home wine tastings, wine-centered dinner parties, and aesthetic lifestyle videos showcasing wine have gained significant traction across social media. Content creators are helping reshape wine culture by presenting wine as an accessible, social beverage, encouraging young consumers to focus less on etiquette and more on enjoyment and connection.
These platforms have also become hubs for experimentation, with Gen Z users creating wine cocktails and sharing unexpected food pairings. Rather than focusing on formal etiquette or individual preferences, young adults are using wine as a social experience that brings people together. According to a Food & Wine article, Lois Cho notes that “[Gen Z] ask which bottles work across a whole table rather than for a single pairing,” highlighting the generation’s preference for connection, inclusivity, and shared enjoyment. As this sentiment spreads across social media content, wine culture is evolving to become more accessible, social, and centered on shared experiences.
Ultimately, wine’s rise among Gen Z is about more than just a beverage preference. It reflects a cultural shift toward quality over quantity, intentionality over excess, and purposeful experiences. As this generation continues to redefine food and beverage culture, wine has emerged at the center as a symbol of a more thoughtful and connected way of gathering.
AI seems to have taken over our screens with generated images, captions, ads, emails, and customer service responses. Consumers are fed up. Recent resentment towards AI isn’t necessarily aimed at technology itself. The sentiment stems from a deeper-rooted human need for connection.
As more brand communication starts to look and sound the same (*read, boring and soulless*), people are looking for proof that there are real humans behind the message.
For brands, this presents a clear opportunity: create moments that spark human connection. Here are three ways to do so.
1. Let personality shine through on socials
Polished content has its place. But in the AI era, perfect feels suspicious. A recent Accenture report shows that 45% of consumers distrust AI-generated content that lacks personability. In contrast, less polished social media content allows brands to say, “We’re human, too.” Sharing a quick phone video, a raw conversation, a behind-the-scenes moment, or a clear point of view will make a bigger impression than an overproduced asset.
Importantly, unpolished doesn’t equate to lowered standards. It means leaning into authenticity and personality to build trust with your audience.
Taco Bell does this well. Their Instagram shares unfiltered content, frequently reposting fan-created content that feels spontaneous, imperfect and entertaining. By embracing user generated content (UGC in the biz), Taco Bell allows its personality to come through while engaging its existing community. And personality gives viewers something to connect with and relate to.
2. Put real people at the center
The most effective brands make their people visible. Instead of relying solely on product shots or carefully scripted campaigns, they highlight founders, employees, customers, and experts.
That might look like a founder filming a quick video explaining why they created the product. An employee sharing how they use it in their daily life. Or a brand taking its product into the real world with a pop-up and capturing unscripted reactions from people interacting with it for the first time.
People help audiences understand not only what a brand is, but also who’s behind it and why it matters.
Aerie, a popular intimate apparel, loungewear, and activewear brand, offers a strong example. The brand pledged not to use AI-generated bodies or people in its ads. The move aligned with its long-running commitment to real, untouched imagery, and became its most-liked Instagram post in the last year.
3. Be a catalyst for community
We’re in the midst of a what theAmerican Psychological Association calls a “connection crisis.” Brands can show up by creating spaces where people feel seen, welcomed and part of something larger than a transaction.
Community can take shape in person: weekly mahjong nights at a local restaurant, local clothing swaps, a dedicated tech-free “analog” zone at a cafe, and interactive pop-ups. It can also happen online through social content designed to spark conversation, customer groups, ambassador programs or forums where people share ideas and recommendations.
At Sonoma’s Dutcher Crossing Winery, community is second nature. The winery brings people together through regular local events that feel like family gatherings. The proprietor and winemakers are often part of the experience, grilling, talking with wine club members, and on occasion giving guests vineyard tours by pedicab. (Full disclosure: DCW is a long-time Double Forte client.)
Heineken executed on a similar idea with a simple billboard statement: “The best way to make a friend is over a beer.” The message works because it focuses on the human moment around the product, not the product alone.
AI can help brands move faster, yet trust still comes from humans. Are you looking to strengthen your brand’s community? We can help with that.
There’s been a lot of doom and gloom in the wine industry lately. But one surprising bright spot has emerged, and it’s not organic wines, canned wines or Rosé. Surprisingly (or not surprising if you keep reading), it’s flavored wine. That is, wine infused with natural flavoring made from non-grape materials, as opposed to traditional wine, which gets its flavors from grapes and winemaking techniques.
In a beverage category that is so closely tied with tradition, history and terroir, the very thought of flavored wine will make many wine enthusiasts and critics stick their nose up. With the wine industry’s overall decline, however, we can’t ignore what’s working. According to The Drinks Business and Nielsen IQ data, flavored RTD wine cocktails grew 15% year over year, along with wines with higher alcohol by volume (around 16%), which grew 8.9%. Comparatively, still wines declined -5.8% overall.
What is interesting about flavored wine is what it says about today’s consumer. Its rise reflects a broader shift in consumer behavior towards prioritizing clarity, familiarity, convenience, and immediate gratification when purchasing beverages. Below we explore what’s behind the growing popularity in flavored wine and why it’s important to consider when marketing to today’s consumer.
Flavor is Trending Across the Beverage Category
Late last year, in our 2026 Food & Drink Trend Forecast blog post, we predicted that 2026 would take flavor trends to new levels, and that prediction has certainly proven true across the beverage space. It’s not just flavored wine that’s trending. According to CSP Daily News and Nielsen IQ data, “flavored alcohol beverages—including flavored malt beverages (FMBs), hard seltzers, prepared cocktails and wine-based cocktails—accounted for roughly 21% of total beer, wine and spirits sales in U.S. convenience stores in the year through April 18.”
As we look to bring new consumers into wine, producers must consider that flavor is key to influencing younger legal drinking age (LDA) consumers’ purchasing decisions. Beyond traditional wine and beer, younger consumers have many more beverage options than ever before. Fruity or easy-to-understand flavor profiles dominate alternative beverage categories, so it’s not surprising to see Gen Z and Millennial consumers looking for similar flavor profiles when it comes to wine. Considering the myriad of choices, flavored wine could very well serve as a gateway to bring more members of this younger demographic into the category.
Flavor is Straightforward
Wine can be confusing. Wine labels can quickly become overwhelming to anyone walking the wine aisle. According to research from Wine Market Council (WMC) and Quini, “24% of wine drinkers say label information rarely helps them choose a wine,” as reported by Wine Business Monthly. Similarly, 34% of these wine drinkers “report buying a bottle they expected to match a flavor or style they liked—only to be disappointed.”
Because flavors are often familiar and easy to understand, flavored wines simplify the wine shopping experience by stating more directly what consumers can expect when they take their first sip. This kind of clear communication and marketing may be especially important for younger consumers who are newer to wine and approach it in a different way than previous generations. Rather than relying on centuries of tradition and prestige to appeal to wine consumers, it is important for marketers and brands to meet consumers where they are and understand their needs and wants. In an industry facing declining consumption and headwinds, innovation will be essential to wine’s future.
Value Matters More Than Ever
In today’s unpredictable economy, value matters. Consumers want confidence that what they are purchasing will deliver the value and flavor they expect. As consumers become more selective about where they spend their money, some want products that pack a bigger punch, as alcohol also factors into a perception of value for their purchase. The Wine Group is innovating to reach this higher alcohol wine consumer. In a recent interview, CMO Helen Kurtz told The Drinks Business “People looking for a serious kick with their wine tend to also want ‘high fruit and flavor cues, so we introduced several new lines, like MAD DOG by MD 20/20, FUEL by Franzia, and the new Dulce Sol Spiked Aguas Frescas line.’”. This is just one example of the many ways wine companies are providing innovative products for flavor-conscious consumers.
Whether flavored wine becomes a lasting segment or not, its growth reflects a broader shift in how consumers approach beverage purchasing. Today’s drinkers increasingly value clarity, familiarity, and accessibility over tradition alone. As presented in a recent blog post on agility in food & beverage marketing, emerging trends are highly important for marketers to understand in order to appeal to current consumer preferences. For wine marketers, understanding this shift in consumer behavior will be critical to attracting the next generation of wine drinkers.
Launching a new wine brand? Reach out to our team to discuss how we can help you build a strategy that appeals to your target consumer.
By Alexis Dowling
Marketing today is shaped by algorithms. Feeds are filtered, reach is rented, and attention is fragmented. It is tempting to chase every new format or rely heavily on paid channels. But one constant continues to outperform: earned media.
When audiences are skeptical and overwhelmed, credibility becomes the differentiator. Earned media delivers that credibility in a way brand messaging alone cannot.
The Trust Advantage
Consumers know when they are being sold to. They trust third-party coverage far more than branded content. A well-placed story in a respected outlet does more than reach people. It borrows trust from the publication and transfers it to your brand.
Impact That Compounds
Earned media does not disappear when a campaign ends. Strong coverage can be discovered, shared, and referenced over time. It supports SEO, strengthens sales conversations, and creates reusable content across channels.
One story can lead to more coverage, speaking opportunities, and stronger stakeholder confidence. The effect builds over time.
Strategy, Not Tactics
Effective earned media is not reactive. It starts with clear goals and sharp messaging, then builds narratives that matter to both audiences and journalists.
At Double Forte, we focus on:
- Message clarity
- Compelling narratives
- Smart media targeting
- Consistent visibility
This turns media relations into a driver of real business outcomes.
The Role of Relevance
Journalists are looking for stories that matter right now. Relevance is what determines whether a pitch gets attention or gets ignored. Brands that can connect their message to timely trends, industry shifts, or real audience needs stand out.
Being relevant means more than having news. It requires understanding what your audience cares about and why it matters in the current moment. When brands align their story with what is timely and meaningful, they are more likely to earn coverage and engagement.
Better Together
The best programs integrate earned, owned, and paid media. Earned builds trust, owned deepens the story, and paid expands reach. Together, they create stronger results than any one channel alone.
The Bottom Line
Platforms will keep changing. Trust will not.
Earned media remains one of the most effective ways to build credibility at scale. In a noisy, algorithm-driven landscape, that makes it essential.
By Ana Cahuas
So, you’re planning an event and want to get the word out. How do you attract the right media and influencers? It helps to understand how they work and plan your event in a way that makes it easy for them to engage. They’re busy and getting invited to everything, so a thoughtful approach can go a long way in helping your event stand out and get RSVPs.
Here are six tips to make the most of your media invites:
- Create something worth showing up for
As you’re planning, think about makes your event fresh, relevant, and engaging for media and influencers. Is there a unique angle, a strong story, or an experience you can’t find elsewhere? Media are always looking for new and interesting opportunities, so taking the time to shape something distinctive upfront can make a big difference in both attendance and coverage.
- Make it easy for media to say yes
Flexibility goes a long way. Instead of a single, rigid time, think about offering a window. This could look like an open house, multiple time slots, or even an ongoing event series. Later-week afternoons tend to be safer bets, and options always make it easier to fit into busy schedules.
- Know exactly why you’re hosting the event
Before you think about the guest list, get clear on your goal. Is this about awareness? A launch? Relationship-building? That clarity will guide everything from who you invite, to how many, to what the experience actually looks and feels like. More often than not, quality over quantity wins when it comes to invitations.
- Have a plan for the “can’t make it” crowd
Life happens. Even people who are interested will have conflicts or have to cancel last-minute. Don’t let that be the end of the interaction. Think ahead about how you can still bring them into the story, whether that’s curating a thoughtful PR kit, offering a separate visit, or creating another touchpoint tied to the same moment.
- Timing matters
Three weeks out is a good rule of thumb for sending initial invites. It gives people time to plan and you have room to follow up. We recommend two follow-ups maximum (invite, reminder, final nudge).
- Focus on building real relationships
Events are a great opportunity to connect in person and build genuine relationships with media and influencers. Instead of focusing on coverage, think about how you can create a thoughtful, memorable experience and continue the conversation afterward. A simple follow-up, a thank you, or another touchpoint down the line can go a long way and often leads to more natural, ongoing opportunities to work together.
If you’re exploring event formats, we’ve written about hosting a successful pop-up. Want help planning your next brand event? Contact us!
If you work with beverage brands, you’ve likely been exposed to the doom and gloom in the drinks industry this past year. 2025 gave countless headlines in the news about the decline of alcohol consumption in the United States, volumes of beer, wine and liquor taking a hit, and even acres of California vineyards being ripped out due to lower demand.
Looking ahead to the future of wine, beer and spirits for 2026, we can’t help but think about one of the industry’s bright spots: Non-Alcoholic drinks. Not just for “Dry January” anymore, Non-Alcoholic wines continue to proliferate the industry and gain popularity, while increasing their quality. Last year, we included the topic in our 2025 wine trends forecast as an area to watch, and boy was it. As reported by NielsenIQ, “with $925M in off-premise sales and +22% growth year-over-year, this category is no longer just an alternative—it’s a lifestyle choice.”
Let’s take a look at the state of the industry in 2025 and what we might have to look forward to this year:
Quality Is Finally Starting to Catch Up
Recently, I enjoyed a glass of non-alcoholic prosecco, and it got me thinking about how far non-alcoholic beverage innovation has come in the last several years, and in some ways, how far we still have to go.
If you want to see the potential of non-alcoholic beverage innovation and quality, beer might be the best example. Personally, I am a huge fan of non-alcoholic beer. The quality has skyrocketed over the last five years or so, thanks in large part to Athletic Brewing. They demonstrated a gap in the market and pushed the category forward with innovative new ways to make non-alcoholic beer. (If you haven’t listened to Athletic Brewing Company founder Bill Shufelt’s interview on the How I Built This podcast, I highly recommend it). These days, I am constantly impressed by the quality of the N/A beers I try – there are SO many to choose from, and I can barely taste the difference between them and their alcoholic counterparts.
Non-Alcoholic Wine Still Has a Ways to Go
As for non-alcoholic wine, the category has made strides in the last few years but still has a ways to go. While it lags behind N/A beer in terms of innovation, it’s for good reason. Wine has a higher alcohol content (12-14% ABV) than beer (4-6% ABV), “meaning its complete removal has a dramatic impact on the liquid’s texture and overall balance,” says SevenFifty Daily. Speaking of that non-alcoholic prosecco, while I happily drank the whole glass, I couldn’t help but think about how it tasted closer to an apple juice than a sparkling Italian wine.
But there’s a lot of reason to have hope for N/A wine. Several brands have launched new and innovative non-alcoholic wines, such as Josh’s Non-Alcoholic Sparkling and Cupcake Vineyards’ Alcohol-Removed Sauvignon Blanc. Cupcake’s new non-alcoholic offering was a natural extension for the brand, which launched a lower-alcohol line, Cupcake Lighthearted, several years prior. It’s clear that major brands see potential in the category, and are investing in its growth and innovation – which is good news for consumers looking for high-quality N/A wine.
N/A Spirits and Mocktails Are Surging
According to Shanken News Daily, Non-Alcoholic spirits have had “strong gains in the year-to-date through August 2, with non-alcohol spirits volume more than doubling and value up by 67% in NielsenIQ channels.” With all of this growth, we’ve seen more and more brands create innovative non-alcoholic liquor alternatives that mimic traditional spirits. One example is Italian brand Amaretto ADRIATICO, which released its non-alcoholic amaretto liquor, ADRIATICO Zero, in the United States this past fall. For bartenders looking to create mocktail versions of their favorite cocktails, having high-quality N/A spirits available is key.
Beyond strictly spirits, mocktails continue to grow in popularity, and flavor innovation from brands such as Torani (a Double Forte client) makes it easier to make cocktails without the buzz. I recently created a gin and tonic-like mocktail using Torani’s new Flavor of the Year – Forest Pine – and was shocked at how much it tasted like a real cocktail. Paired with the rise of premium N/A spirits, these increasingly convincing mocktails shows just how quickly the non-alcoholic category is evolving and that consumer are ready for sophisticated, alcohol-free options.
A Category to Watch Closely this Year
Reading all these data points about the Non-Alcoholic beverage industry helps demonstrate its growth. But where you really feel it is at bars, restaurants and retail stores. In 2025, many more bar or restaurant now have a dedicated non-alcoholic section on their menu with mocktail offerings, N/A Beers, and if you’re lucky, N/A wines to try. The category is no longer a trend – it’s an important and fast-growing part of the beverage industry and those ignoring it are leaving money on the table.
Beyond Dry January, or the sober curious, Non-Alcoholic beverages appeals to wellness-minded consumers and those looking to moderate consumption. As more major brands invest in the category and new, innovative brands release N/A offerings, the industry’s quality and variety of offerings will only accelerate in 2026.
Launching a new non-alcoholic beverage this year? Double Forte is here to help. Cheers!
By Alexis (Karis) Dowling
By Ana Cahuas
We’re knitting. We’re staying in and doing puzzles at the kitchen table. We’re putting on records and ditching iPhones for flip phones.
Are we in our grandma era?
Call it grandma core, cozy coded, or just plain digital fatigue. Whatever you label it, there’s a real shift in culture and consumer behavior toward experiences that feel real, calming, and grounding.
At its core, the “grandma era” is a Digital Era self defense: a response to constant stimulation, endless feeds, and the pressure of being perpetually reachable. According to a survey from The Harris Poll, 81% of Gen Z (14 to 29 years old) and 78% of millennials (29 to 44 years old) wish they could disconnect from digital devices more easily. That’s why younger generations are seeking ways to disconnect and protect their peace.
3 Cultural Trends Signaling the Grandma Era
Trend 1: Analog hobbies are back
Interest in analog activities has spiked: Google searches for “analog hobbies” jumped 160% in the last month and crafts like needlepoint have seen a surge in popularity online. Trends like “analog bags” on TikTok (the irony abounds) (filling totes with non-digital activities) are inspiring people to replace screen time with hands-on experiences.
Trend 2: Retro tech is the new boundary-setting
Flip phones, film cameras, vinyl – it’s all part of a broader desire for intentional engagement and nostalgia. Whether or not people ditch their smartphones entirely, these devices represent control over attention and an effort to not be pulled into endless feeds. Analog rooms designed for screen-free relaxation are on the rise, and homeowners are intentionally creating space to disconnect and unplug.
Trend 3: Romantasy is the new comfort ritual
In 2025, romantasy (the blend of romance and fantasy) exploded across social platforms and bestseller lists. The subgenre boosted the market share by a whopping 41.3%. People are craving escapism with immersive, tactile stories that pull you out of digital noise and into worlds you can feel. Book communities across social platforms (like BookTok or #Bookstagram with millions of posts on Instagram) are fueling the boom by turning reading into a shared experience.
The grandma era is about reclaiming control and choosing presence over constant notifications that compete for our attention.
For brands, this presents a huge opportunity to meet people where they are: create calmer, more human experiences; build community around doing (not just consuming); and lean into storytelling that feels comforting, immersive, and worth slowing down for.