Dry July is Broken—Here’s What Comes Next
Every July, it happens again. Brands slap “Dry July” on their social posts. Retailers offer discounts. Media outlets run the same think pieces.
But this year, something feels off.
Dry July—like its cousin Dry January—has lost its edge. What was once a signal of cultural momentum now feels like a tired gimmick. And for those of us who helped build the non-alcoholic category, it’s time we said it out loud: Dry July is broken.
I Was There When It Worked
In the early days at Boisson, Dry January felt like lightning in a bottle. Customers were curious. Retailers were engaged. We couldn’t keep product on shelves.
July followed suit. It was a slower burn, but it gave us a summer campaign to build around.
Back then, Dry July was a proxy for cultural curiosity. It helped validate the space. But now? It’s noise. There are too many brands, too many messages, and not enough real engagement.
The Category Grew, But the Calendar Didn’t
Here’s the problem: the category matured, but our seasonal playbook didn’t.
Consumers are drinking less year-round—not just in January or July. Wellness isn’t seasonal. Neither is curiosity about moderation.
So when brands anchor everything to two arbitrary months, they set themselves up to disappear the rest of the year. The big seasonal push becomes a crutch, not a strategy.
What Changed?
Two things:
Consumer Fatigue – “Dry July” is a known quantity now. It doesn’t feel disruptive. It feels expected.
Fundraising Drought – In 2021–22, you could raise capital on seasonal spikes. Not anymore. Investors want year-round velocity.
At Boisson, we saw both play out in real time. Growth slowed outside of key months. We had to chase retail resets, rebuild DTC strategy, and rethink what consistency meant.
The truth? Dry July became a trap. It got us attention, but it also hid the cracks in the business model.
What Brands Should Do Instead
If you’re building in this space now, ask: what’s your Q2 strategy? What’s your shoulder-season plan? Do you know what drives repeat purchases in September?
Here’s what’s working in 2025:
Events & IRL sampling: Brands investing in human contact—not just hashtags—are seeing real conversion.
Functional crossovers: Pairing NA with adaptogens, CBD, or wellness rituals is pulling in a new buyer.
Subscription experimentation: Not just “subscribe and save” but rotating discovery boxes and seasonal drops.
Community: Brands with genuine founder presence (on LinkedIn, in stores, in DMs) are outperforming funded competitors with big ad budgets.
Dry July doesn’t need to go away. But it can’t be your only moment.
How I’d Approach It Now
If I were running launch marketing again, I’d use Dry July to spotlight year-round relevance.
Focus on why people stay sober-curious in August, not why they start in July.
Showcase ambassadors and community members with real stories.
Invest in channels that drive lifetime value, not one-off spikes.
Dry July should be a spark—not the whole fire.
Final Thought: Make It Boring
If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: normalization is the win.
If you want to be around in 2026, stop building for Dry July. Build for everyday drinkers who want a consistent, high-quality option. Make it boring. Make it expected. Make it normal.
That’s what we tried to do at Boisson. And while the business model didn’t hold, the mission was real—and the next generation of brands can do even better.
