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How drinks brands are revolutionising their digital media strategies
Drinks brands are changing their digital marketing strategies with dramatic results on consumer engagement. db investigates.
According to figures from Ofcom, only a quarter of adults (26%) consume news in print, with this figure declining year-on-year, and the majority of Generation A and Z get their news content from social media (63%) and online (83%).
As a result, drinks brands have woken up to the revolution in high-impact digital advertising strategies, in order to capture consumer attention and drive brand engagement, according to digital creative solutions agency Bullfrog.
The agency highlighted campaigns by The Macallan, The Glenrothes, Dom Pérignon and Veuve Clicquot, as “redefining traditional ad formats to create immersive experiences for their audiences and are successfully leveraging tailored digital ad campaigns to connect with their targeted audience”.
It said that by “honing in on specific consumer demographics, these brands are not just increasing visibility but also cultivating aspirational brand identities”.
Awareness
Interestingly, drinks brands are shifting away from performance-led advertising campaigns towards brand awareness focused, lower funnel marketing strategies, in order to drive sales “efficiently and effectively”, and meet “the evolving demands of the digital landscape”, Bullfrog added.
It said that challenges in digital innovation, including 3D and augmented reality technologies had been a “barrier” for the drinks trade, but recent success stories had revealed that such “high impact” campaigns can overcome the obstacles which were previously in place.
The agency reported that it had seen an “exceptional surge” in 3D and AR digital advertising strategies being adopted by alcohol brands across the UK and Europe. It reported that such advertising formats created “remarkable levels of consumer engagement”, producing a 7% engagement rate, which is three times higher than the industry standard for interactive ad experiences.
Strategies
It highlighted that there were specific strategies which were effective for clients:
Overcoming digital innovation challenges
Bullfrog reported that the alcohol industry had “made significant strides in digital marketing” but it does face “unique challenges’. One of these is the obvious one of how to replicate the experience of glassware and liquids in a digital format. It said that 3D and AR were “game-changers” in this regard as they allowed for “realistic product replication”. Yet it did add that the journey to “unparalleled realism” was continuing, and was driving innovation in the sector.
Premium luxury publishers
The agency also said that the expertise extends to “carefully selecting premium luxury publishers” who see it as “an instrumental component of delivering successful digital campaigns”.
It added: “By partnering with elite publishers in global markets, Bullfrog ensures its campaigns resonate with the right audiences, amplifying brand reach and engagement”.
Success stories
The Macallan x Bentley Horizon Partnership
As reported in the drinks business in March, this advertising campaign saw premium whisky The Macallan partner with Bentley Motors on the Horizon product.
The campaign delivered a high-impact display media suite that achieved 100% Share of Voice (SOV), and by creating a sponsorship feel, which Bullfrog said was “notoriously difficult to achieve programmatically”, the agency ensured that The Macallan had “unparalleled brand visibility”.
The curated selection of premium luxury publishers played a “critical role in this achievement” and “effectively reach(ed) the targeted demographics across key European and APAC markets”, it said.
The Glenrothes
The Edrington Group’s The Glenrothes worked with the agency on its ultra-high-end Philos Decanter. It designed and executed an interactive 3D ad format called 3D parascroll. This format featured a 3D model of the decanter, which drove user interaction and achieved a 7% engagement rate.
Experience
Speaking about the findings, Dan Langton, partnerships director at Bullfrog said the drinks industry “is in need more than ever for interactivity and product storytelling within the digital media space” in order “to drive a ‘real life’ experience to the end user in their natural browsing environment”.
He said: “Engagement is the key driver for success within digital innovation and these 3D formats are smashing industry benchmarks, redefining the rich media digital landscape.”
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