This is part of our #SmileABCs series, highlighting and going in-depth with small businesses and ecommerce brands. Check out the full series here.
It seems like everywhere we turn there is alcohol being pushed in front of us. Whether it’s being advertised, a new alcohol brand popping up, or drinks being served at every social setting. One drink turns into two and two turns into three and the next thing you know you have a full-blown hangover (sometimes).
One night out can spark an idea. For Chris Boyd, a night out drinking with friends for his birthday sparked the idea for Monday, a brand of zero-alcohol whiskey, gin, and mezcal. "Why can't I have proper adult cocktails without the alcohol so I can keep on tonight and be sharp in the morning?” thought Chris. “Monday's non-alcoholic spirits are a labor of love–our way of helping alcohol-avoiders (like us) enjoy a proper adult beverage today without worrying about how you'll feel tomorrow (on Monday)!”
“A little later, I ran into a friend (Ben, now Co-Founder at Monday) at the gym who I hadn't seen in a while,” said Chris. “We exchanged updates and he asked, "So what's next for you?” I told him I was thinking about creating a non-alcoholic gin, and his eyes lit up, sharing that he had a similar story. A few weeks later, Monday was born and we've been serving the mindful drinking movement ever since,” said Chris.
Zero alcohol, zero pressure
On the night of his birthday, as Chris had switched from alcohol to water, everyone wondered why. “It was a Sunday and the bartender was a magician, serving up some amazing beverages, but after a couple, despite how much I was enjoying the goods, I stopped and switched to water,” said Chris. “Everyone wondered why, and I answered, "because tomorrow is Monday and I have sh!t to do, and I want to do that sh!t well.”
Monday aims to change the narrative around drinking alcohol to become the drink people can have in social settings, with zero pressure. It’s all in their name, “If you love cocktails and hate hangovers, we’re your first-class ticket to flavor town.”
“Customers are stoked, to say the least. We’re one of the pioneer brands of this young non-alcoholic category and strive daily to rally around and support people looking for healthier drinking options,” says Chris.
On top of building a loyal customer base, Monday has some delicious recipes on its website and Instagram like this Blood Orange Mezcal Margarita. “Our OG Gin is a must try and the reason for starting Monday. It’s the company’s flagship product tailor-made for gin and tonics which we grew up on,” says Chris. “Our latest release, Mezcal, is near and dear to my heart as this was the spirit I fell in love with back when I drank booze. Getting an opportunity to introduce this to folks that are taking a break from the hard stuff has been a dream come true. My go-to is a classic paloma–the grapefruit really compliments the smoky, complex character of the Mezcal, just a beautiful drink.”
Loyalty and rewards
Monday added a loyalty program to incentivize and reward returning customers. “The digital space is our brand’s home,” says Chris.
“We connect with customers and foster community, so taking care of our own through a loyalty program and rewarding folks who come back time and time again is very much at the core of what we do.”
We plan to really give our super fans a reason for staying tuned in, championing Monday, and helping build this mindful drinking movement that’s growing by leaps and bounds daily.” The Drink Monday loyalty program rewards customers by offering points for social media interactions and dollars spent. The rewards themselves are an incentive to continue to earn with Monday. Some of the rewards customers can redeem are merchandise and different bottles of zero-alcohol mezcal, gin, and whiskey.
Whether you are looking for inspiration on building a community or searching for non-alcoholic drinks, Monday is the perfect example.
