ABD launches ‘ICONiQ White Whisky’ in Metaverse Startups

Allied Blenders and Distillers (ABD) Ltd., India’s largest domestic alcobev company, announced the launch of its new whisky “ICONiQ White”. In a bold new step for the Indian alcobev industry, the brand has been launched first in ABD MetaBar – the organization’s presence in the metaverse. The brand will subsequently be launched in the physical world in markets nationally.

 ICONiQ White is a delightful blend of imported Scotch malts aged in bourbon oak casks, blended with select matured malt and finest Indian grain spirits. The fruity and nutty aromas of the blend complement its woody character.

 ABD India forayed into the metaverse with ABD MetaBar, an immersive virtual reality space providing consumers and enthusiasts with a differentiated experience of product discovery. Optimized for both mobile and desktop usage, the MetaBar taps into the growing interest in the Metaverse, especially the youth and their willingness to experiment with novel digital activations.

  Commenting on the occasion, Shekhar Ramamurthy, Executive Deputy Chairman, ABD said, “A core belief at ABD is to ‘Think Differently’. The launch of ICONiQ White in ABD MetaBar, ahead of its physical launch, gives consumers an opportunity to immerse themselves with the brand before they experience it in stores. We believe this is the shape of things to come and ABD would like to lead that change.”

 Talking about the launch, Bikram Basu, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, ABD, said “ICONiQ White is a contemporary whisky for blend, packaging, and positioning. It will appeal to the young adult and plays in an affordable premium segment which has the largest pool of consumers today. We are here with something very special and here to win.”

 Speaking on the launch, Sohini Pani, Founder and Managing Director – River, said “Crafting the communication mix for ‘ICONiQ White’ was a delightful experience. It all started with the name. ‘ICONiQ’ is bold and trendy, while ‘White’ is a surprising twist in the world of whisky. The visual space and the idea pitch the brand as a playful companion for fun-loving younger audiences. The icing on the cake was the opportunity for us to build ground-up the ABD MetaBar a few months ago and work towards the launch of Iconiq White on the platform.”

 ICONiQ White is available in three pack sizes i.e., 750 ml, 375 ml and 180 ml and will be launched first in the Metaverse, followed by select markets of East, North and South India.