It is summertime. It is a pivotal time for all beverage brands. It is an opportunity to capture a new consumer base and keep existing consumers loyal. It is also the best time to go rogue and experiment. Test your brand’s marketing limits.
Before you dive into the deep end, test shallow waters first. See how your audience responds to slight changes – changes that stand out but maintain brand familiarity. People should still know how to identify your brand. So, keep key markers in place. For example, there is a better time to change or make adjustments to your brand logo. This should occur at the top of the year when most brands experience a dip in sales due to consumer behavioral changes. Dry January is a great time to revamp your brand. The summertime is when you push your brand to the forefront in a fun and colorful way.
There are many ways to boost your summer marketing strategies. Many brands experience notoriety during the summer. An outsider can become a star brand overnight. Consumers are more open to new beverage brands during this time. Also, gatherings such as BBQs and festivals open the doors to beverage exploration. Take advantage of old-school marketing approaches, such as giving out mini samples of your beverage at events. This approach has proven to be successful for many beverage brands. As you begin to think of ways to benefit from this season, consider a summer label.
A short-order run of new labels is cost-effective. You can also repurpose these labels next time if you see a boost in sales and brand popularity due to an exclusive summer label. It also allows you to re-introduce your brand without developing a new product line exclusively for the summer. A fitting example of this is Busch Beer’s beer cans and packaging adorned with an image of corn. A label that their audience loves, and they repurpose it as a limited edition. The Bass Can limited edition run of their beverage is also notable.
Seasonal Beverage Labels & Packaging
Sometimes, products need a boost to be noticed. There are a lot of great beverages on the market that go unnoticed simply because of poor labeling and packaging choices. Also, even if they are aesthetically unappealing, popular beverages take centerstage. It is hard to cut through the beverage market noise. But it is certainly possible. Keep in mind that your beverage must meet consumer standards. There have been brands that have lost popularity due to poor beverage quality. Good ingredients paired with a palatable beverage are imperative. Brands can fix poor label decisions, but they cannot fix a poorly crafted beverage. Most brands do not aspire to go viral being known as the worst tasting beverage. Nor do they aim to be a one-hit beverage wonder.
You might assume that it may be too late to jump in on the summer beverage surge by developing limited-edition seasonal beverage packaging. It is never too late. Remember, this is a short run and a terrific way to grow your consumer base. Also, you can sell this limited edition until the beginning of fall. Market segmentation will also help you push higher quantities of this limited run to regions that maintain warmer temperatures throughout the year to help manage supply overages that may occur. Research your demographic thoroughly. Therefore, you will know how to best allocate your beverage to retailers.
When designing your new beverage labels and packages, spend time researching colors and imagery that are symbolic of summer. For example, teal, white, yellow, orange, and pastels captivate the senses. Coconuts, palm trees, water, sand, boats, and ice cream complement summer imagery. Use subliminal marketing cues to draw people towards your beverage. Some full-bodied beers taste like milkshakes. The thickness and riches of the beverage give a desert-like experience. Is your beer the root beer float of ales? Play off flavor profiles to highlight your beverage.
Here is an opportunity to showcase the time and effort poured into the cultivation process. What is the star ingredient? What sunny destination does this beverage remind you of when you take the first sip? Is it capri or the cottage on a sweltering day surrounded by trees while sitting on a boat at the lake with friends listening to music? You are the designer of your brand’s culture. Convince people to join in on the movement.
Get Bold with Cocktail Recipes
Everyone thinks they are America’s next best bartender once the party gets going. Developing new recipes to diversify a beverage experience is another way to boost marketing strategies. New recipes can be featured on blog posts and social media. Hire a master mixologist to craft summer cocktails using your beverage. Create further engagement with a call to action by asking consumers to display their at-home bartending skills by making a cocktail with your beverage.
Reimagine your beverage. Take the ordinary and transform it into something extraordinary. This is a wonderful way to test market new beverage variations. Recipes that perform well can lead to a limited-edition product line that is only available in the summer. So, what is in a great recipe? Since it is summer, lean towards ingredients that pay homage to warmer weather or destinations. Also, incorporate fruits or vegetables that are in season. They are readily available for your consumer. It demonstrates that you understand true recipe development. Restaurants often rework their menus to ensure they use ingredients during peak seasons. Summer fresh labels and packaging go hand in hand with expertly crafted cocktails that combine ingredients that favor warmer months.
Avoid complicated recipes; this is not a magic show. Also, it should be cost-effective so your consumer can invest more in your beverage than shopping for ingredients. Turn well-known beverages like slushies, milkshakes, sweet tea or lattes into a cocktail. A familiar beverage with a little kick is always favorable. For those who prefer to sip their beverage or prefer just one, this will go over well. A quality cocktail that is familiar, fun and tastes great will get your audience engaged and excited to give your recipe a try. Remember that summer when the frosé was trending? Any brand could make a variation of this refreshing icy beverage. Cocktail recipes are not just reserved for spirits, liquor and wine; beer can also be used to join the party. Beer and espresso pair quietly nicely. This cocktail might beat out an espresso martini. Feeling extra bold? Add some vanilla ice cream.
High-End Merchandise
Subliminal marketing has many angles. The use of repetitive imagery via commercials and print ads is one route. Another route is high-end merchandise. Yes, the cool kids rummage through vintage clothing stores, looking for apparel from iconic beverage brands. It is not because they seek to make a fashion statement.
Moreover, brands of yesteryear did a great job with product development. They designed a cap that was both functional and well-designed. They used quality fabrics and designs that people felt proud to wear. There was an understanding that people wear things they like. Also, cheesy merch would be thrown at the back of a closet. A patchwork denim jacket featuring your brand is a great collector’s item. When getting designs printed on t-shirts, opt for direct-to-fabric printing; it wears well over time. Also, select high-quality fabric. Whether you are giving merchandise away or making it available for purchase, people love wearing merchandise by their favorite beverage brand if it leans towards something you would find from a fashion brand.
Many generic clothing brands adorn their clothing with their logo. Walking into a bar and seeing a patron wearing a vintage Coors light t-shirt or baseball cap may entice patrons to order this and another brand’s beverage offering wearable merchandise. So, as you brainstorm ideas to boost your summer marketing strategies, consider a limited-edition merchandise collection. Research old and new popular merchandise from your competitors. What brands do you commonly see people wear while out? Are distressed t-shirts in, or are truck driver-style hats popular? Do not just paste your logo on items and think this is enough. Hire a designer who works in apparel and merchandise. Have them dream up a merchandise collection. If you do not think this is a worthwhile endeavor, think again. Fender Guitars did a great capsule collection with Brixton apparel that sold quite well.
High-end merchandise is not only coveted but it is also sustainable since it is more likely to be worn and can be resold. Sellers on eBay who source iconic beverage brand merchandise make a lot of money and are always on the lookout for what will be a high-value item once it is discontinued. If you sell out of items, do not produce more. Scarcity and novelty drive demand. Re-introduce these items the following year or as a special holiday season gift people will receive when they purchase your beverage. Your goal is to drive beverage sales. High-end merchandise is a great branding tool to transform your brand’s reputation.
This article was written by Hanifa Sekandi and previously published in The Beverage Master Magazine Print Issue.
