Digital Marketing for Big Beer Brands
The beer brands understand the power of digital marketing. They have embarked on campaigns to take advantage of the Oktoberfest season to reach customers. Oktoberfest is a glorious time of year for those who enjoy a good beer. It is one occasion in which imbibing a few lagers in open public is acceptable, if not expected. All the beer brands want to use the celebration to get their brews before the public.
Digital marketing is becoming much more the accepted medium for reaching potential customers, especially with the proliferation of the Internet over the last few years. Almost every corner of the globe has access to this veritable endless source of information. Unlike the old days of television and radio broadcasting over airwaves, there is little to prevent residents of one country from accessing the same websites as those living in major economic markets.
5 Big Beer Brands
Here are some digital marketing approaches that the major brands are using for the 2015 Oktoberfest and what some have done in the past:
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch celebrates each Oktoberfest at its breweries. This year, the company has again beefed up its website in anticipation of the celebrations. The online “News Room” page contains links to blog posts about the events at various breweries while explaining the history of Oktoberfest. This form of content marketing attracts users who want real information. The sophisticated consumer of today appreciates when a company, such as Anheuser-Busch, adds real value to their lives through its online content.
There is also a special webpage set up just for Oktoberfest. The overall goal is to encourage Americans to celebrate Oktoberfest at home, just as the crowds will do in Germany. The official slogan of this campaign is “Munich is Closer Than You Think.”
The Oktoberfest webpage links to the company’s social media sites. Customers can view brand merchandise. Last, links to brewery tour ticket sales allow online users to make a purchase on impulse before leaving home.
Miller-Coors
Miller-Coors has an aggressive digital marketing strategy for 2015. Their homepage links to its special Oktoberfest brews, produced by Jacob Leinenkugel. Before online users can access information on the Leinenkugel site, they must first verify their age. The company wisely allows Facebook users to do so through a simple click. Of course, the company receives information about the user via this feature.
They also have set up an Instagram photo gallery for users to post their images, building excitement for the brand during Oktoberfest.
Lowenbrau
Lowenbrau believes bigger is better. Advertisements featuring characters dressed in traditional Bavarian attire, while holding gigantic beer mugs, highlight this focus on the big.
The brand uses its website to emphasize its Bavarian roots. There are headers on the main page leading users to such content as the available menus in the company’s official Oktoberfest venue.
Lowenbrau’s digital content strategy includes teaching the online consumer how to pronounce food and beer as would a Bavarian. Audio clips of native speech provide the instruction.
Samuel Adams
Samuel Adams introduces craft beers for Oktoberfest once again. The 2015 crafts are available in most stores. The specially-designed bottles claim the contents to be hearty and smooth, with an alcohol content of 5.3%. The deep amber-colored lagers are sure to persuade many to try them.
The brand digital marketing approach begins with special tasting videos available on the Internet. Its main web page links to special Oktoberfest events and promotions in cities across the country.
Samuel Adams invites Instagram fans to plug in “#SamAdamsBeer” to post their photos taken while enjoying the festivities. They also provide a Facebook link on the company homepage. Once on the social media giant, customers can buy Oktoberfest beer steins and other seasonal brand merchandise.
Heineken 2013
Back in 2013, Heineken, a brand that always participates in Oktoberfest festivities, used the Internet to publicize its quality beers. Executives believed that year’s Oktoberfest allowed them an opportunity to bridge the gap between them and their suppliers. Rather than waiting for a newspaper interview, Heineken instead published an online video explaining their marketing performance that year.
2010 Oktoberfest
As always, Oktoberfest is a competitive season for distilleries, as beer is at the forefront of producer and consumer minds. In 2010, Bud Light dominated the radio advertising charts, followed by Coors Light and Samuel Adams.
It remains to be seen just which company is able to command the most attention this year, especially now that the major beer brands are more aware of the benefits of digital marketing over traditional television, radio, and newspapers.
Why Digital Marketing Works So Well
As many business owners know, it is imperative for success to plan and organize a marketing strategy. Otherwise, one could throw money away, buying advertising space whenever and wherever possible. Planning is the key to profitability.
Furthermore, as the big beer brands understand, these days, digital marketing is the way to go. The costs prove efficient, as a website, for example, requires no physical upkeep, as did the billboards of old. There are no actors or actresses to pay for, as is true with expensive television commercials. Last, the ability to reach any consumer in the world, who has computer access, makes the potential upside of digital marketing beyond comparison. However, combining traditional advertising with digital marketing garners better advertising results, and these big beer brands know it and do it and so do we!
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