I’m a journalist who started out in Hong Kong as a food critic, then simultaneously juggled jobs at one of the best bars in Asia and DRiNK - Asia’s leading bar industry publication. I also authored my first book Cocktails of Asia, and just over a year ago I relocated to Japan’s capital to open my first bar Tokyo Confidential. As a multi-hyphenate in the bar and alcohol industry, I’ve seen it all when it comes to point of sales materials (POSM). And most of them are redundant – not exactly useless but not necessary or game-changing.

As a journalist, useless bits of POSM piled up on my desk, providing no added-value or exposure, and quite frankly an annoyance as I desperately tried to give them away instead of throwing them in the bin. As a bartender, it’s much the same, but it piles up in my back office, usually not inspired enough to take up real estate on my backbar.

There is no denying that the world of cocktails is ever-changing but personally, I hate the word “trend”. To keep their fingers on the pulse, brands need to actively engage those in the trenches – ie bartenders – rather than just assuming their needs when it comes to POSM. You’d be very surprised how few actually do that in this ever-evolving industry.

When I was first connected to the team at Merch & Effect – who I am now the creative consultant for – my interest was sparked immediately. Our first engagement was to have a Q and A session, which they conducted with other leading bartenders. We spilled our truths and didn’t hold back on the current state of POSM, as well as offering our insights on the evolution of bars and cocktails, as opposed to set trends. This was a breath of fresh air, because, as mentioned previously, this was something I’d rarely seen when it comes to brands asking the frontliners what they actually want, need and think will work.

We also discussed what I’d call “tiered” POSM. Some POSM should be aimed at the team and/or bar, some for those new to the industry and some for the veterans. No one’s needs are the same but the more boxes that can be ticked with one fell swoop, the better. And, as mentioned previously, no one wants to throw something away in a planet that’s in the midst of a climate crisis – the more useful an item, the better it is for the environment.

POSM is the vein that runs between the brand, bartenders and consumers and a very powerful tool if created and used correctly. However it seems we’re stuck in a loop of gaudily branded bar tools, stuff for stuff’s sake and a general lack of functionality and thought in the products provided. The principle of plenitude theorizes that everything possible is actual. But where’s the fun in that? I say we’re just stuck in a rut of box ticking exercises and with the likes of Merch & Effect trailblazing the market, we may finally see corporate think tanks dissolve. Or at least keep their hands off for the most part.

In a world where bartenders have reached chef levels of reverence – and deservedly so – many are trying to build their profiles to reach audiences far and wide. A genuine love for hospitality is what makes so many bar industry folk driven to push themselves, as they want to help others beyond hours of service. This is a beautiful thing and brands need to cash in on this more. Of course, there are brand ambassadors whose job it is to educate on particular products, but collabs give brands the edge outside of the corporate structure.

Brands and bartenders leverage each other and create symbiotic relationships that give both parties credibility, and more importantly – displays credibility to the consumer. If a consumer sees great bartenders touting great POSM, the chances are the consumer is going to think that brand is great as it has enlisted someone in the know, as opposed to corporate.

We’re not here to reinvent the wheel. But we’ll make a damn fine, functional yet exciting and sexy one that is generated using ideas from the people who actually use them. Big wheels keep on turning…