We have told you a bit about Brand Activations in our article, “What is brand activation strategy”. Today you will learn more about making your alcohol brand stand out above the rest by using social media as part of a successful brand activation.
An alcohol brand activation refers to brand-oriented experiences that promote a particular alcohol brand like Castle Lager or Smirnoff. These activations can take many forms, such as sponsorships of cultural or sporting events, product launches, tastings, or social media campaigns. The goal of these activations is to increase brand awareness and drive sales among consumers, specifically your target market.
The world of social media
Social media consists of several platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, to name but a few. Each of these platforms has its own rules and regulations regarding advertising alcohol on social media, but in general, the main rule is that it must be subject to the legislation of the country it is promoting in.
You will notice that most social media accounts will say in their description that it is the official South African page for a brand like Heineken or Amarula. So whenever you do a social media campaign for alcohol make sure your campaign keeps to the relevant rules and regulations; like making sure it is clear that alcohol is only for those 18 years and older. Our article “How to promote alcohol brands” goes more in-depth about advertising alcohol, and is a great read.
Companies use social media to raise awareness for their brand through social media campaigns. They tend not to do outright alcohol advertising on social media but will host competitions, invite consumers to interact with relevant hashtags and build a community of like-minded individuals who enjoy consuming their product.
At MegaWorxx we put a fresh face to alcoholic products through our Brand Ambassadors, giving the consumers a friendly and relatable person to connect with, instead of just a picture on a poster. Our Brand Ambassadors take part in brand activations, which get advertised on social media, inviting consumers to come and meet the people associated with the product and try the products in a responsible way.
Competitions that run as part of social media campaigns for alcohol are usually for tickets to a sporting event, for example, with Castle Lager SA there has been the opportunity to win tickets to cricket or rugby matches, and then usually you will find teams of Brand Ambassadors at these events handing out merchandise and promoting the product.
At MegaWorxx we also install “Point of Sale” displays, to encourage impulse purchases, and you will notice on social media that companies will encourage consumers to go and find their in-store displays and post a selfie with relevant hashtags. This encourages community involvement without directly selling alcohol or encouraging irresponsible drinking.
Social media changed alcohol brand activations
Social media has given alcohol brands a platform on which a wider audience can be reached. You no longer need to hope someone notices your display in-store or attends an event where one of our Brand Ambassadors is ready to greet them with a friendly smile, now you can invite them to come and participate in brand activation.
Social media provides a space where the community from all across the country can see what’s going on in the company, where the next brand activation event will be, and stand a chance to win competitions. You then have both impulse and planned buyers who show up to enjoy your product.
One of the very important things to just remember when doing alcohol advertising on social media is to keep in mind that a large portion of users is under the legal drinking age and that it is important to make it clear that alcohol is not for users under the age of 18 and to encourage responsible use of alcoholic beverages.
With careful wording, the right images, relevant hashtags and spot-on scheduling, social media can be a great tool to use in brand activations. Reaching even more consumers and growing brand awareness through a carefully executed social media campaign for alcohol.
Contact us at MegaWorxx to assist you with Brand Activation for your alcoholic brand.
