Kentucky bourbon marketing takes a flight overseas

Bourbon is one of the iconic American drinks, and whiskey-makers in Kentucky are working to expand their market by pouring more money into international advertising.

According to Advertising Age, bourbon companies have started enjoying better sales overseas, driven in part by their marketing efforts, "favorable trading conditions … and a growing appetite among foreigners for U.S. liquor."

The author of "Bourbon, Straight: The Uncut and Unfiltered Story of American Whiskey," Charles Cowdrey, told Advertising Age that foreign consumers love American products. He noted that brands are packaging their goods - be they jeans, movies or whiskey - as America itself.

Domestically, higher liquor sales could also be a good indicator of economic conditions. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that following the release of the Distilled Spirits Council's annual industry review, analysts were saying the 4 percent increase in liquor sales was a sign that consumers were feeling more confident in the economy.

Council president and CEO Peter Cressy commented that social media development and other forms of "marketing innovation" also improved the sector's performance, as quoted by the newspaper.