Welcome to Consumer Obsessed, a series from Constellation Brands that uncovers what “consumer obsession” means to us and how it’s reflected in every part of our organization to help drive our business forward.
From cultivating insights to getting products into the hands of our consumers, this series will explore our relentless pursuit to anticipate what consumers want today, tomorrow, and well into the future. Join us as we strive to elevate human connections and fulfill our mission to build brands that people love.
What is Consumer Obsession
At Constellation Brands, consumer obsession is more than just a phrase—it’s a core value that drives everything we do, from brand development and marketing to crafting consumer experiences. Over our nearly 80-year history, our commitment to our consumers has allowed us to grow our company from its humble beginnings to a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine, and spirits with operations in the U.S., Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. Our mission to build brands that people love has resulted in housing some of the most iconic brands like Modelo, Corona, Pacifico, Robert Mondavi Winery, The Prisoner Wine Company, Meiomi, Kim Crawford, Casa Noble Tequila, High West Whiskey, and so many more.
Placing the consumer at the center of our decision-making has helped drive us to become the #1 Growth Leader Among Large CPG Companies for more than a decade1 and fuels our consistent year-over-year growth in a highly competitive market. It has enabled Modelo Especial to achieve and maintain its position as the #1 beer in the U.S. by dollar sales2, and Corona Extra to be regarded as the #1 most loved U.S. beer brand with general market and Hispanic consumers3. It is what has helped To Kalon Vineyard, the home of Robert Mondavi Winery, become the #1 Vineyard in North America4, and has inspired countless other awards, accolades, and milestones for our brands.
So, what exactly is consumer obsession?
“To us, consumer obsession means genuinely understanding and prioritizing our consumers' needs, preferences, and desires and continuing to evolve with them. This philosophy is at the heart of our relentless growth story,” said Michelle Christensen, VP of Consumer Foresight & Innovation Insights. “By being openly curious and observant about consumer behaviors and preferences, we strive to see the world through their eyes and celebrate the role we can play in their lives.”
Data-Driven Insights
For us, consumer obsession starts with truly knowing, supporting, and celebrating the consumer – understanding where they are today, and where they’re heading in the future.
To do this, we invest in continually connecting with legal drinking age (LDA) consumers of diverse backgrounds and perspectives through two-way conversations, shop-alongs, and in-home connects, and observing behaviors on and offline through thousands of interactions. Since understanding what consumers choose to drink is influenced by social and contextual cues, we’ve also built a database of over 10,000 occasions that gives us a proprietary map of consumer demand that informs our portfolio strategy, brand positioning, and the opportunities that new product innovation can address.
“Understanding these ‘Demand Spaces’ is critical to adding context to consumption patterns and ensuring we are clear on which consumer motivation(s) our brands uniquely serve,” said Anne Fritsche, VP of Brand Insights.
People & Perspective
In addition to high-quality data, our holistic approach to the consumer is what makes our Insights team unique.
"To make well-rounded decisions, we use the mind, heart, and gut," said Michelle. "Data and market analysis feed our mind, but that really only shows us what everyone else sees.”
To truly understand our consumers, we connect with them at their heart. This involves having real conversations – one-on-one, in small groups, and even observing them in their everyday lives. And finally, the gut comes from the diverse experiences and insights of our team and partners across the country. Combining these personal observations with data and empathy is what truly fuels our consumer obsession.
“We take an inclusive approach to Insights – understanding that they can come from anywhere within, and outside of, the organization,” Anne added. “We want all employees to have a constant curiosity for the world around them and the people who live in it.”
Our team members gather valuable insights from a variety of perspectives including consumers, retailers, distributor partners, and more, creating a meaningful foundation of research that helps drive our business forward.
Insights in Action
To make insights actionable, we connect distinct pieces of information to tell a cohesive story.
We leverage our insights to understand the Hispanic consumer, for example – regularly talking with them to understand their behaviors, motivations, and desires. This helps lead to authentic products, like Modelo Cheladas and Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas, and campaigns that resonate, including Corona’s “La Vida Más Fina” and Modelo’s “Mark of a Fighter.”
We've developed a deep understanding of luxury wine consumers and spending habits to build capabilities, products, and experiences in line with consumer-led premiumization trends, as demonstrated by our brand, The Prisoner Wine Company.
We're also exploring the evolution of moderation and balance, which enables us to continue to meet evolving consumer preferences with high-quality products like Corona Non-Alcoholic, HOPWTR (a sparkling hop water with nootropics), and TÖST (a flavor-forward and alcohol-free sparkling beverage brand).
Insights like the desire for flavor driven by Gen Z have also inspired recent product launches like Corona Sunbrew Citrus Cerveza and Cook’s Mango Mimosa.
What’s Next?
Consumer-led decision-making drives all aspects of our business. This commitment to grounding our business decisions in consumer insights helps ensure our portfolio will continue to drive growth with our core consumers and attract new consumers over time as we strive to build brands that people love.
Stay tuned for more from Consumer Obsessed, where we’ll explore how this understanding of the consumer fuels our approach to product innovation.
Sources:
1: Circana 2023 Growth Leaders Report
2: Circana L52 WE 11-24-24
3: Morning Consult Brand Intelligence syndicated brand health tracker. Corona is No. 1 most loved beer brand among total beer-drinking population 21+
4: Wine Spectator ranking of “The World’s Greatest Vineyards” (2024)