Emily in Paris Joins the Sober Curious Brand Boom

During a brainstorming session at her boutique marketing firm, the title character of the frothy Netflix hit Emily in Paris suggests that a wine client create a booze-free cocktail. In explaining the buzz around nonalcoholic tipples, Emily says: “There’s been a lot of growth in that sector, thanks to the sober curious movement. It’s mostly Gen Z and millennials who are adopting a wellness approach to alcohol—they’re not sober, they’re just exploring not drinking.” Her colleagues are skeptical, with one calling it “the antithesis of French culture” and another noting (incorrectly) that France’s president banned Dry January. No matter the reaction—accompanied by some very French lip curling—the modern temperance movement just got a major image boost from one of the trendiest lifestyle mavens in entertainment. https://www.tiktok.com/@mindfullycami/video/7405705058764983584?q=Emily%20in%20paris%20sober%20curious&t=1724695020911 @mindfullycami is one of many Emily in Paris fans posting about the sober curious mention in a season 4 episode. “This is huge for the category because Emily in Paris is one of the most popular Netflix shows,” according to Hilary Sheinbaum, an advocate in the booze-free space whose latest book, Going Dry, drops next week. “Viewers pay close attention to what the main characters do, and they may start to notice nonalcoholic products and be inspired now that they’ve heard her talking about it.” ‘Virtuous cycle’ The unbranded placement in Emily in Paris is a recent example of how teetotaling continues to embed itself into the zeitgeist, and the rom-com cameo could be just the beginning of on-screen face time. Prop masters and set decorators are increasingly asking alcohol-free brands to supply products for Hollywood films and streaming and network TV shows—Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, CBS’s Matlock, and Peacock’s Bel-Air to name a few, per industry sources. The developments are creating “a virtuous cycle,” helping to normalize the mindful drinking movement while fueling more interest and sales, according to Milan Martin, founder and CEO of the nonalcoholic Free Spirits brand. “The media is reflecting the shift in human behavior and is showing people in social situations drinking something adult yet nonalcoholic,” Martin told ADWEEK. “This simply starts to give people ‘permission’ to explore these new options without fear of judgment or exclusion.” https://www.tiktok.com/@joinsunnyside/video/7403845087039474977?q=Emily%20in%20paris%20sober%20curious&t=1724695020911 Popular mindful drinking app Sunnyside amplified the Emily in Paris mention of the sober curious movement. The amped-up attention—which has spread throughout 2024 but intensified lately — is well-timed and may help kickstart the momentum around Sober October. Though the month isn’t as well known as Dry January, it has been evolving over the past few years as a consumer education, experimentation, and pre-holiday drying-out period. Business in the front, party in the back With entertainment being an early adopter, 2024 has been a watershed year for NA collaborations with live music across a variety of genres. Using the seminal Coachella festival as a guide, both Stagecoach near Los Angeles and Barefoot Country in New Jersey broke ground for their on-site booze-free offerings this season. (Coachella and its sibling event Stagecoach partnered with bottle shop The New Bar). Barefoot Country’s deal with an area retailer, Gem Bar, put zero-proof bars and cocktails at the June concerts that featured Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, and Kane Brown and drew some 35,000 attendees. The summer has also seen a steady drumbeat of NA brands at electronic dance music and other Gen Z-heavy shows. Meantime, the business community is digging deeper into the space. Predominantly alcohol-first events like Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans increased its NA activity in July after a smaller intro in 2023. This summer’s conference featured a tasting room at the Ritz-Carlton, meetings among sober hospitality workers, and sessions on curating NA menus in today’s bar scene. Sheinbaum was among the speakers, and event partners included Aplos, Cut Above Spirits, Lyre’s, Ritual Zero Proof, and Sam Adams. Separately, industry players are setting up their own dedicated conferences such as an upcoming summit in London from retailer and e-commerce platform Club Soda. The first-of-its-kind gathering, with 30-plus speakers, is aimed at founders, entrepreneurs, and industry experts, exploring a decade of the sober curious movement in the U.K., the birthplace of Dry January and a global hotspot for the trend. A growing segment, a rotten trial As a backdrop, data shows the nascent NA segment, while making up a tiny fraction of the beverage category, is growing quickly. In 2023, booze-free beer, wine, and spirits topped $565 million in sales in the U.S., a 35% jump in dollar sales versus the year before, per NielsenIQ. Gen Z and millennials are among the most enthusiastic supporters, with 45% of Gen Z reporting they’ve never consumed alcohol, per NielsenIQ, and the 21-and-older segment of the demo makes up only 6% of alcohol buyers. Yet the vast majority of NA buyers still drink booze, often toggling back and forth between the two in a practice known as zebra striping. https://twitter.com/WineEnthusiast/status/1826665851715469808 Consumer demand has pushed NA beverage brands further into mainstream American venues and pastimes, from alliances with professional sports leagues to menu slots on airlines, coffee shops, and stadiums. Other countries, even France, are hip to the movement as well. While the Emily in Paris episode may make it seem like Emily (played by Lily Collins) is out of step with her adopted country, she’s spot-on, according to evidence gathered by Wine Enthusiast. Alcohol-free bottle shops are popping up in Paris, winemakers in Southern France are producing dealcoholized versions of their iconic products, and Michelin-starred chefs are pairing their famous food with NA cocktails, per a recent report in the magazine. As for Emily’s sampling of booze-free wine, she and her roommate Mindy (Ashley Park) don’t have the best experience. A waiter in a chic restaurant pours the NA drink, telling them it’s “not popular at all.” After taking a swig, Emily makes a face and diplomatically declares it “heady, substantial—it’s kind of like kombucha.” Mindy, as usual, cuts to the chase: “It tastes like rotten apple juice.” Sheinbaum said she cringed during the scene, knowing that red wine is among the most difficult drinks to successfully replicate in a booze-free form. “I didn’t love how that went down,” said Sheinbaum, whose book is getting a French translation in 2025 and, for now, a promo push from Barry’s Bootcamp, Calia athletic wear, Adidas, and NA brands like Free Spirits, Good Time Brewing, and Tost. “But this is still capturing a trend that's culturally significant, and it can certainly help start a conversation.”

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Booze? Mais Non! Emily in Paris Joins the Sober Curious Brand Boom

Teetotaling embeds further into the zeitgeist through pop culture shouts, music festivals, and industry events

T.L. Stanley

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T.L. Stanley