You just have to hope that people in the advertising industry get some job satisfaction.

In this week’s trade journal B&T there is an uncomfortably revealing quote from Mat Baxter, partner in what is usually described as the fresh and edgy “media planning shop” Naked. (Have a look at their website to see just what clever people they are.)

Baxter was lamenting the withdrawal by the Absolut vodka company of Absolut Cut, a pre-mix drink pitched at the young. Baxter is quoted as saying that the end of Absolut Cut will leave a void in the – wait for it – $2billion ready-to-drink “binge-drinker category”.

Woah, those media planners sure can segment the market!

Absolut Cut just wasn’t cutting it on the international stage, apparently, though in Australia it was doing well – for which Naked takes credit thanks to its innovative ad campaign, which included sponsoring Jack Marx’s “Daily Truth” blog at Fairfax for the first twelve months of its life – a matter on which I have written previously.

More quotes from Baxter: “The 7% alcohol end (of the market) is extremely cluttered as lots of companies are starting to play in that space … But the real area for growth … is still at 7% with a sophisticated but affordable drink that will appeal to young people on a budget who want to get drunk very quickly.”

Sure hope he sleeps well after all that hard work.