Finlandia’s "It’s Soooooo Fine" Campaign Overview

Executive Summary

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Finlandia Vodka’s new global campaign, “It’s Soooooo Fine,” marks the brand’s first major push under Coca-Cola HBC (Hellenic Bottling Company) ownership​. Launched on 28 April 2025 across 22 markets, the campaign is a vibrant, multi-channel initiative that leverages cultural insights and Finlandia’s heritage to connect with younger drinkers. Finlandia draws on a dual-meaning tagline – it invites consumers to savor life’s “pleasurable moments” while hinting at the vodka’s own “fine” quality. In doing so, the campaign aligns with broader trends in mindful drinking and experiential marketing. Finlandia’s Global Marketing Director Olena Klymenchuk emphasizes the goal: strengthen Finlandia’s premium image and build an emotional connection with the next generation of legal-age consumers​. The creative is playful and colorful, centering on relaxed joy and shared experiences​.

This overview analyzes Finlandia’s campaign: from strategic cultural positioning and emotional storytelling to visual creativity and brand heritage. We highlight how the campaign resonates with today’s zeitgeist (embracing slower “me-time” amid busy lifestyles) and taps into Finlandia’s Nordic roots (midnight sun, pure ingredients) to deepen its authenticity. We also review Coca-Cola HBC’s role in amplifying the brand globally (the spirit portfolio grew 31.8% in 2024, driven by Finlandia’s expansion​) and integrate direct insights from campaign leaders. The conclusion distills actionable takeaways for alcohol marketing leaders seeking to craft similarly resonant campaigns: use data-driven consumer insights, balance cultural authenticity with universal appeal, and tell emotionally engaging stories that elevate the drinking experience.

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Campaign Context and Objectives

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Finlandia Vodka has been a well-known premium vodka since 1970, defined by its Finnish barley (ripened under the Midnight Sun) and pure glacial water. In June 2023, Coca-Cola HBC acquired Finlandia from Brown-Forman, and the new “It’s Soooooo Fine” campaign is the first big creative push under HBC’s ownership​. The tagline was specifically designed to resonate with next-generation values​. The strategy reflects Coca-Cola HBC’s vision to position Finlandia as a leader in the global premium spirits portfolio.

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As Yannis Athanasiadis (Finlandia General Manager) explains, launching the campaign is “a significant milestone” that reaffirms Finlandia’s role as a global leader in premium spirits. He emphasizes giving the brand “a modern, vibrant voice” to meet the growing demand for “meaningful, purposeful” premium experiences​.

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Watch with the sound https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyJI9KcNC4I

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The core objectives of “It’s Soooooo Fine” are thus twofold: expand Finlandia’s market share in key regions, and reposition the brand culturally for young adult drinkers. In practice, Finlandia’s HBC-led expansion saw it enter 19 new markets in 2024, underpinning a 31.8% volume growth in HBC’s premium spirits business. The campaign aims to sustain this momentum by aligning Finlandia’s image with young consumers’ values — particularly the move toward more conscious, experience-driven drinking. As Klymenchuk notes, the campaign seeks to build a stronger emotional bond with the new legal-drinking-age cohort, who increasingly “seek moments of joy and shared experiences”.

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Cultural Insight and Positioning

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A key marketing lesson is the campaign’s grounding in authentic cultural insight. Finlandia tapped research from The Future Laboratory about today’s “always-busy” culture, where young people crave unpressured time for pleasure and connection. The slogan “It’s Soooooo Fine” embodies this insight with dual meaning: it celebrates how Finlandia “can create effortless moments of pleasure,” and it highlights the vodka’s inherent smooth quality​‍. In the campaign narrative, drinking Finlandia becomes a mindful pause – a delightful antidote to the hustle. This reflects the broader zeitgeist of mindful drinking and self-care: enjoying alcohol as part of positive experiences rather than excess.

Importantly, the campaign balances this modern positioning with Finlandia’s Finnish heritage. The brand prides itself on the “touch of sun and ice” that its distillation imparts – literally barley matured under 72 days of midnight sun and pure glacial water​. Visual motifs in the ads (glowing warm tones contrasted with crisp, icy elements) subtly reference these origins. By celebrating Finnish quality (“unparalleled quality,” as the official tagline puts it​) alongside contemporary lifestyle messages, Finlandia retains authenticity. As Klymenchuk puts it, the campaign “keeps pride in our Finnish origin and consistently high quality, while giving Finlandia a fresh, authentic voice”​. This careful cultural positioning ensures Finlandia’s story feels genuine in any market: the pride in place and purity of ingredients underlines trust, while the modern campaign tone drives relevance.

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Emotional Storytelling and Creative Approach

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At its heart, “It’s Soooooo Fine” is an emotional storytelling campaign. The creative concept is deliberately playful, warm, and inclusive​. Each video vignette portrays relatable scenes of ordinary people savoring life’s little pleasures with Finlandia cocktails. For example, one spot (titled “How many olives are too many?”) humorously follows friends in bathrobes toasting each other in casual comfort.

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Watch with the sound https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQPAdyXVUsA

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Another (“Drive-in or ride-in cinema?”) shows a couple enjoying cocktails in a horse-drawn carriage at a drive-in theater. These scenarios convey spontaneity, humor, and a bit of nostalgia, all centered on enjoyment. The tone is upbeat and slightly irreverent – inviting viewers to smile, not scowl – which aligns with the tagline “There are no guilty pleasures. Only fine, fine ones.”.

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Watch with the sound https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2_3AfkfnTw

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Critically, the ads avoid heavy-handed brand messaging. Finlandia’s bottle appears naturally in each scene, but the focus is on the experience. As Klymenchuk explains, the aim was to “bring a fresh and interesting idea from the brand that addresses everyone” – putting pleasure and togetherness center-stage. This people-first narrative illustrates a marketing lesson: instead of talking about product features, tell a story that people see themselves in. The extended “soooooo” in the slogan itself adds a fun, laid-back personality, mirroring the languid enjoyment depicted on screen.

The visual filmmaking is key to the storytelling. Rich colors, dynamic camera movement, and creative set-pieces (such as living room karaoke or extravagant date-night surprises) make the campaign memorable. For instance, one striking scene features a movie screen projection of an old-fashioned gentleman raising a cocktail, as a couple clinks glasses in a retro car pulled by horses.

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These visuals are aspirational yet attainable – viewers feel invited into the moment. In doing so, Finlandia leverages visual storytelling to encode its brand promise: every scene suggests that Finlandia can transform an ordinary moment into something special.

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Leveraging Finland’s Brand Heritage

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Finlandia’s campaign smartly weaves in its Nordic heritage to reinforce authenticity. Finland is associated globally with purity, nature, and a certain mystique of the far north. The campaign copy and imagery hint at this: phrases like “unparalleled quality” and “silky-smooth vodka”​ tie back to the midnight sun and glacial water. In interviews, campaign leaders explicitly mention these elements: Olena Klymenchuk remarks that Finlandia’s “exceptional taste” can become part of joyful moments, nodding to the barley and water that define the vodka’s character​.

From a marketing perspective, this is a powerful strategy. It distinguishes Finlandia from other vodkas by reminding consumers of its unique origin story. In practice, this heritage positioning is subtle but effective: the branding never feels like generic vodka marketing, because the “sun and ice” imagery and taglines subtly echo Finland’s story. By maintaining the Finnish high-quality claim even as the ads celebrate universal themes of fun, the campaign upholds brand authenticity – a principle that builds long-term trust. As Klymenchuk says, “We take pride in our Finnish origins and uncompromising quality” even as we introduce a fresh brand voice.

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Capturing the Cultural Zeitgeist

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Finlandia’s campaign taps squarely into current cultural trends. Across markets, younger drinkers are less motivated by hedonistic excess and more by the idea of mindful enjoyment. They seek drinks that complement, rather than complicate, their lifestyles. The campaign’s core message – savoring fine moments, not succumbing to guilt – aligns with this shift. By promoting an ethos of “no guilty pleasures”​, Finlandia positions itself as a responsible accomplice to celebration, rather than an indulgence to be ashamed of. This is key for alcohol brands today: pleasure is OK so long as it is quality-driven and in moderation.

Another zeitgeist angle is the importance of experience over things. The ads underscore experiential values: sharing laughs, connecting with friends, making memories. This resonates with a generation that often values Instagram-worthy moments and narratives of authenticity. Finlandia’s narrative suggests that the product enhances these real, heartfelt occasions. This approach boosts emotional branding: the vodka isn’t just an alcohol; it is a catalyst for “moments of joy and shared experiences”​.

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On the innovation front, Finlandia also employs digital storytelling. The campaign’s short films are likely distributed online and on social media, fitting younger media consumption habits. (For example, the campaign’s “Fine, Fine Stories” series can be found on Finlandia’s website and social channels.) This multi-format approach – combining long-form video with shareable clips and images – amplifies reach. The creative flexibility (from quirky scenarios to stylized visuals) makes content highly sharable and discussion-worthy. For alcohol marketers, the lesson is clear: align creative content with how the target audience lives online, and create narrative threads they’ll want to follow.

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Strategic Insights and Best Practices

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From “It’s Soooooo Fine,” several best-practice insights emerge for alcohol brand leaders:

• Data-driven insight into culture: The campaign was explicitly informed by generational research (Future Laboratory insights about busy lifestyles). Begin with real consumer data on attitudes and behaviors, then craft a message that answers it. Finlandia didn’t guess that younger drinkers wanted mindful enjoyment – it had a research anchor​.
• Emotional, story-based messaging: Focus on feelings and scenarios rather than product specs. This campaign builds an emotional narrative (pleasure, friendship, authenticity) that puts consumers at the center. Finlandia shows rather than tells – the vodka is part of the story, not the story itself.
• Dual-brand messaging: Smart campaigns often carry two layers: a consumer promise and a product promise. Here, “It’s Soooooo Fine” means “life is good” and also “this vodka is top quality.” Marketers should look for slogans or concepts that can carry double meanings for emotional and brand messages simultaneously.
• Cultural authenticity: Use your brand’s heritage as a foundation. Finlandia’s unique origin (midnight sun, pure water) is woven subtly into the campaign, adding depth. Other brands should similarly anchor campaigns in what makes them special (geography, craft, history) even when being modern.
• Creative execution: Embrace playfulness and visual richness. Finlandia’s yielded a vibrant aesthetic (warm colors, stylized settings). Bold, creative visuals can cut through the clutter, especially on social media. The image-driven nature of the campaign (short films, cinematic scenes) matches how young adults engage with brands.

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READ ALSO: Alcohol Marketing Trends and Forecast 2025

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Key Takeaways for Alcohol Marketing Leaders

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• Embrace consumer values: Tailor your messaging to the values of emerging drinkers. Finlandia tapped into the zeitgeist of intentional, joy-focused drinking.
• Link brand story to lifestyle: Weave product heritage (quality, origin) into modern lifestyle narratives. Authenticity in branding builds deeper connections.
• Use inclusive, aspirational storytelling: Create content that is broadly relatable yet still aspirational. Scenes of friends having fun (as in the campaign’s short films) encourage “I want to be there” reactions.
• Optimize cross-channel engagement: Finlandia’s campaign launched across TV, digital video, social media, and more. Plan an integrated rollout so your story can spread on the platforms where your audience spends time.
• Keep it original and inspiring: Avoid cliché party tropes. Finlandia’s fresh, colorful approach stands out. Look for unexpected, story-driven concepts that can become memorable cultural moments.

By applying these insights, alcohol brands can craft campaigns that resonate on an emotional level, use data-driven authenticity, and drive both brand love and business growth.

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Actionable Insights

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1. Conduct deep trend analysis: Before campaign development, use consumer research or consultancy insights to identify shifts in drinking culture relevant to your target audience.
2. Double down on storytelling: Develop a creative brief that centers on a human story or moment, not just drink attributes. For example, illustrate how the product fits into a “fine” everyday ritual.
3. Leverage creative partnerships: Collaborate with a creative agency to translate strategy into bold visuals and narratives. Challenge them to find the “fun” or “emotional hook” for your brand.
4. Embed brand heritage: Identify two or three core brand heritage elements (ingredient, tradition, origin) and ensure they subtly color your narrative. Use them to reinforce quality claims in a way consumers can feel or imagine.
5. Pilot, learn, and expand: Finlandia started in 22 markets with plans to roll out globally. Consider a phased launch to test messaging in key regions, gather feedback, and then refine for wider deployment.
6. Measure performance beyond sales: Track engagement metrics (social sharing, sentiment) to gauge emotional impact. Use surveys or social listening to see if your campaign’s emotional promise is “sticking” with the audience.

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By following Finlandia’s example – combining insight, authenticity, and creative boldness – alcohol marketing leaders can create campaigns that not only elevate their brands but also inspire consumers to make every drink moment “soooooo fine.”