There was time when a new gin, cognac or whisky wanted to matter it had to pass one test: Would the bartenders back it? Brand reps would sit at the bar after service. They’d pour samples and they would talk about its distillation and history. You would taste it, maybe get excited and if it made it onto your bar display that meant something. Because in those times bartenders were the filter and the gatekeepers.
For years, bartenders were the filter and a bottle didn’t just land on the bar display it earned its place. We did not only taste it, but we also experimented it in cocktails. We recommended it because we believed in it. When we backed a brand, that endorsement had weight. Bartenders sold the experience, not just the label. Now brands have traded that credibility for impressions. Consumers often walk into a bar already decided, ” I saw this on TikTok.” The gatekeeping roles have shifted, and the decision is being made before the guest even sits down.
Let’s be honest from a brand’s perspective the numbers make sense. A busy bartender might serve 200-300 guests in a weekend. An influencer posts one story and reaches 500,000 people before lunchtime. In a country like South Africa, where social media use is climbing every year, marketing budgets are following attention. Brands aren’t sentimental but they’re commercial. And compared to staff trainings, ambassador programs, influencer campaigns are often cheaper and faster. A large percentage of influencer-driven campaigns don’t build real consumers, they build moments. They create spike not foundations. People buy the bottle once, post it and then move on.
It’s not that brands don’t value bartenders anymore. It’s that the consumer journey has changed. In a country where aspiration drives purchasing decisions, being seen with the “right” bottle matters. The image sometimes moves faster than the education. The smartest brands aren’t choosing sides, they’re blending them. The influencer creates the moment, and the bartender protects the standard. That’s the balance we need in this industry. It’s about understanding roles. Influencers create awareness and bartenders create trust. Awareness moves volume and trust build longevity.
Some bartenders are still waiting for brands to “choose” them. Still expecting loyalty. Still acting like gatekeepers in a world that has already moved on. The smartest ones have realized something simple: If you don’t build your own platform, someone else will take your seat. The new power players are not choosing between craft and content. They understand flavour and attention, they know how to educate, entertain and influence. They don’t complain about influencers, they compete with them.
Brands that win are the ones that respect the liquid but also understand the algorithm. Because at the end of the day, no matter how many views you buy, one thing still matters than anything: The person pouring the drink behind the bar.
