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Whisky, Straight: New research challenges whisky brands to rethink how they win buyers
27 October 2026 • Eaon pritchard
Scotland’s whisky industry needs a marketing rethink.
With distilleries entering administration and others pausing production, the commercial pressures facing Scotch whisky brands are becoming painfully tangible. Whisky, Straight, a new report from TheSignalWorks, examines what brand owners can do next. Drawing on marketing science and consumer psychology, it argues that interchangeable heritage stories and missed opportunities to recruit new drinkers are leaving brands exposed. The report sets out practical ways to build recognition, reach new buyers and compete for changing drinking occasions. Marketing can't remove every pressure facing the industry, but making a brand easier to notice, remember and buy has become more urgent. The report is free and can be downloaded here