Every January, millions of people commit to New Year's resolutions centered on health and wellness, with alcohol consumption often at the top of the "cut" list.
In recent years, this has evolved from the strict "Dry January" to a more flexible "Damp January" approach as consumers move away from "all-or-nothing" goals.
While an August 2025 Gallup Poll showed Americans’ alcohol consumption at record lows, new terms in the zeitgeist show a more subtle approach; they are becoming "sober curious" or are “zebra striping”—a term becoming popular with Gen Z, meaning to alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks on a night out.
Not only is the trend coming from consumers, but recent announcements from the Trump administration, including Dr. Mehmet Oz’s “loosened” alcohol consumption guidelines by removing specific daily caps, and the flipped food pyramid, are fueling conversations (and confusion) about health & wellness this year.
The question we’re asking: Is the shift toward "Responsible Drinking" just a seasonal spike, or is it a permanent reputational shift that alcohol brands must navigate year-round?
Momentum Shifts: “Dry January” conversation not as popular compared to 2025
To answer the question, ‘Is this just a phase?’ we compared January 2025 coverage to January 2026.
Though we’re only halfway through the month, last year's peaks were in the first week of January, so momentum seems to be shifting away from “Dry January,” perhaps toward other health & wellness topics that use more moderate language.
According to Signal AI Theme Landscape analysis, “Trends in Sobriety,” “Health Revolution,” and “Dry January” are the three largest subthemes for Dry January coverage.
Market Trends: “Responsible Drinking” topic looks to be US-centric
Analysis of source locations shows that the conversation around mindful drinking and “Dry January” campaigns is overwhelmingly driven by the United States and the United Kingdom.
For global alcohol conglomerates, this suggests that reputation management strategies for health-conscious trends need to be highly regionalized rather than one-size-fits-all.
Campaign Messaging: Big Alcohol taking on Dry January with NA options, while some brands opt for moderation
To combat the Dry January trend, some brands are opting for more subtle campaign messaging, such as Recess’ “Perfection is a terrible New Year’s Resolution.”
Seedlip is another company embracing Dry January, with a partnership with Real Housewives Star Dorinda Medley, "answering the call for elevated, flavorful drinks."
Big Alcohol brands, such as Heineken, are going all in on Dry January with their non-alcoholic options.
In the chart on the right, Heineken owns the lion’s share of the conversation against Diageo, Molson Coors, AB InBev, and Carlsberg Group, with 44% of the conversation around “Responsible Drinking.”
However, a share of voice analysis from Signal AI's Ask AIQ shows Athletic Brewing Co. punches above its weight in "Responsible Drinking" conversations. While Athletic Brewing Company only owns 1.1% of the total Share of Voice (SoV) among major alcohol players, it carves out 11.24% SoV specifically within the "Responsible Drinking" conversation. This demonstrates how niche challengers can dominate a high-value reputational theme even with lower overall media volume.
Final thoughts
A rise in health & wellness trends seems to be causing industry headwinds for established Big Alcohol brands. Outside of consumer trend shifts, alcohol and liquor companies are suffering from profit losses of up to $830M in the last four years, inflation-driven demand pressures, and recent major leadership changes.
In a world of extremes, moderation is becoming the strategic move for brands looking to maintain long-term trust. PR and Reputation professionals should look beyond the January buzz and monitor whitespace opportunities in mindful drinking for major upcoming events in 2026, such as the Super Bowl and this year’s Winter Olympics.
Now what?
You make important decisions every day as a business leader. That’s why you need trusted data to help you build a more informed strategy and make more confident business decisions.
Signal AI helps you map your next move by delivering market trend analysis that highlights both hidden business risks and whitespace opportunities, giving you the foresight to shape your long-term plan.
Resource Round-Up
Resources
- https://www.fastcompany.com/91012502/dry-january-branding-big-alcohol-heineken
- https://www.modernretail.co/marketing/beverage-brands-update-dry-january-marketing-based-on-changing-consumer-habits/
- https://news.gallup.com/poll/693362/drinking-rate-new-low-alcohol-concerns-surge.aspx
- https://www.miamiherald.com/living/food-drink/article314288030.html
- https://www.marketingbrew.com/stories/2023/01/25/how-alcohol-brands-are-embracing-the-rise-of-dry-january
- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/heinekens-van-den-brink-to-step-down-as-ceo/articleshow/126479090.cms
- https://www.delcotimes.com/2026/01/08/declining-alcohol-consumption-young-people/
- https://goldenword.co/blogs/how-pr-can-help-alcohol-brands-maintain-their-stride-during-dry-january/#:~:text=Forward%2Dthinking%20PR%20strategies%20for,can%20elevate%20your%20brand%20today!
- https://foodinstitute.com/focus/zebra-striping-gen-zs-strategy-for-moderating-alcohol-intake/
Methodology:
Using the Signal AI platform, we compared data from January 1, 2025, to January 14, 2026.
We did a competitive analysis using Signal AI’s Ask AIQ to compare Athletic Brewing Company, Heineken, AB InBev, Diageo, Carlsberg Group, and Molson Coors Beverage Company.
We also conducted a Theme Landscape analysis on the topic of “Responsible Drinking” and on the topic of “Dry January.” =