Behind the Bar: How We Build Winning Serve Strategy for Global Brands

In today’s competitive drinks market, serve strategy isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a core part of how brands show up on menus, drive trial, and build consumer loyalty.

At Wilde Toast, we work with leading brands like Red Bull to create serve strategies that are both creatively exciting and commercially smart. Here, we want to give some insight into the process we use to deliver high-performing serve strategy – and why getting it right can make the difference between driving growth or ending up on the cutting room floor.

Why Serve Strategy Matters More Than Ever

The way a drink is served has a huge influence on how customers perceive, choose, and enjoy it. It’s also a vital tool for the RTM teams to take to the trade and start conversations. It also, in some cases, can be an absolute rocket ship for growth and the cornerstone of your long-term marketing strategy, just ask Campari Gruppo’s Aperol brand team for their thoughts.

The key benefits are:

• Boosts rate of sale by matching venue needs and consumer wants
• Creates emotional recall through flavour, aesthetics, and experience
• Supports trade sell-in by making it easier for venues to say yes
• Drives incremental revenue through premiumisation and up-sell opportunities

But success doesn’t happen by accident. It takes strategic thinking, not just creative flair.

5-Part Framework for Serve Strategy Success

For every serve strategy you create – whether for a new product launch, a seasonal campaign, or a permanent menu feature  – should be built around five pillars:

1. Venue Category

The right serve for a late-night bar isn’t the same as for a five-star hotel. We design serves that suit the venue’s operating style, customer profile, and speed of service requirements.

Whether it’s high-energy nightclubs, relaxed beach bars, or premium cocktail lounges, our strategies align with the environment where the drink will actually be enjoyed.

2. Current Trends

Consumers’ expectations shift fast. We track flavour trends, visual presentation trends, category growth, and cultural moments, ensuring the serves feel fresh and culturally relevant, without falling into short-lived fads.

Recent trends we’ve built into serve strategies include low-ABV options, bold and spicy flavours, and nostalgic serves and Asian flavour trends.

3. Venue Margins

Drinks have to work for the bar’s bottom line. We create serves that are easy to execute, cost-effective, and margin-positive for venues – ensuring our clients’ drinks are seen as smart listings from a business perspective, not just a marketing one.

This means careful consideration of ingredient costs, speed of service, and equipment needed at point of service.

4. Flavour

At the heart of every good serve is flavour. We match serves to brand DNA and consumer taste profiles, creating drinks that are flavour forward and memorable for the right reasons. Flavour balance (sweetness, acidity, spice, body) is meticulously considered in every recipe we design.

We also look for ways to make flavours seasonally relevant – from summery citrus to winter warming notes – keeping serves adaptable all year round.

5. Aesthetics

Finally, it has to look great. Visual appeal isn’t just about vanity – a striking serve encourages orders, sharable moments, cross-selling and better menu placements.

We build aesthetics into the core of the serve, from glassware to garnishes to the way a branded can or bottle is presented alongside the drink.

Bringing It to Life: Red Bull Summer & Lilac Editions

When Red Bull approached us to develop a serve strategy for their Summer and Lilac Editions, we used this exact framework to guide our creative process.

We created a full serve playbook featuring a range of drinks designed to:

• Suits a broad spread of venues (from fast-serve spirit mixers to more complex cocktails)
• Tap into fresh, lively summer trends (like picante spice, tropical flavours, and summer party vibes)
• Deliver strong margins and simple prep for venues
• Maximise the unique flavour notes of Red Bull Editions (white peach and grapefruit)
• Offer beautiful, highly photogenic presentation to encourage organic social sharing

The result? A playbook packed with serves that excited venues, inspired bartenders, and built brand visibility where it matters most – in consumers’ hands.

Final Word: Strategy Before Creativity

Anyone can come up with great serve ideas. But if you want drinks that actually drive rate of sale, win menu space, and grow brand equity, you need a strategy-first approach. Sweat the details, consider all stakeholders and be super vigilant to what makes consumers actually buy in 2025.

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