The Latest in Digital: Spirits Edition

Digital marketing continues to grow, and the spirits industry is also getting on board with caution.  While it can be a bit tricky (i.e. following people who are definitely over 21, promoting responsible drinking… the list goes on), it can be seriously beneficial when done correctly. Check out these four ways spirits are making a splash in digital.  

1. Johnnie Walker + Amazon Echo: Johnnie Walker has a new best friend, and her name is Alexa. They’ve teamed up with Amazon Echo so you can discover your whisky IQ or find a blend that works for your taste and budget, all without even leaving the couch. Welcome to the future, y’all.  

2. Budweiser + Lyft: A big part of digital efforts for spirits is promoting safe transportation, and Budweiser is taking it to the next level. They’ve partnered with Lyft to offer a coupon code on their social media so that fans can get home safely for free. 80,000 rides will be offered by the end of 2016. Props to Budweiser!

3. Malibu + Snapchat: Venturing to Snapchat has been a scary thought for liquor brands, with a large chunk of users being under the age of 21. However, they’ve have started to dip their toes in the water by sponsoring filters. Earlier this year, Malibu created a Memorial Day filter complete with a cocktail and text stating, “For 21 plus. Drink responsibly.” As the Snapchat audiences grows up, we’ll be seeing a whole lot more of where this came from.

4. Jim Beam + Virtual Reality: Last year, Jim Beam used virtual reality to promote their Devil’s Cut Bourbon, taking consumers on a virtual bourbon roller coaster ride. After they take off the headset, the virtual shot glass becomes a real shot glass. It’s time to sample bourbon, the 21st century way.

What spirits brands have you seen making serious digital moves? Chat with us in the comments below.

The Battle of the Stories: Instagram vs. Snapchat

First Snapchat, now Instagram. It’s safe to say that 24-hour stories are the name of the social game these days. So which one do you use? What’s the difference? How do you even use them? No worries. We’re here to give you some insight so you’ll not only be a pro at Stories, but know why you should be using these platforms for your business.  

The “Story” Process

Aside from clicking on a different app from the home screen of your phone, the process of creating and sharing a story is very similar.

For Snapchat, you simply open the app, snap a picture or video and add it to your Story. Of course, before you click send, you’ll want to select a duration for the picture and add a caption or drawing. Oh, and you can’t forget about that dog filter and a bitmoji if you want to make it elaborate. Once you’ve added it, you can view your Story and others by swiping left.

Instagram Stories on the other hand, are newer and will feel different and similar all at once. In order to create your Story, click the plus button in the top right corner to access your camera. Here, you can either take a picture or add a photo from your Camera Roll from the past 24 hours. After you’ve chosen your photo or video, add a caption or drawing and add it to your Story. Yes, it’s that easy… and alike. Now, take a look at the top of the home screen on each app. That’s where you’ll find your Story and well as others.

So What’s the Difference?

Besides the silly filters and a handful of geotags, Instagram made their Story feature almost identical to Snapchat’s. The main difference? One Business Insider article says that it’s all about content creation creation versus content consumption. When you open Snapchat, you’re prompted with your camera, basically screaming at you to snap a photo of what’s happening right at that moment. When you open Instagram, other Stories are nicely aligned at the top, just asking to be opened, so you’re more likely to open those first before venturing to create one of your own.

Why You Should Use Stories

Whether you choose to go with the original 24-hour creator, Snapchat, or opt for the new kid on the block, Instagram, we suggest choosing at least one. They give your brand the opportunity to offer a behind-the-scenes view of the company — something that fans crave. Show your polished side of the company on the traditional feed, and give the behind-the-scenes angle on your Story. As with anything in social it is best to test and learn. If you see higher fan interaction and engagment incorporate more stories into your content strategy. Which platform will you choose? Let’s have a discussion in the comments below.

Facebook's Future. Let's not panic yet.

There's been a lot of talk around teens leaving Facebook, and if you're a brand that's targeting teens that's cause for concern. But if you're a brand targeting teens, my guess is you've seen it coming. Heck, even Facebook has seen it coming. They've offered to buy Snapchat. They tried to launch Poke. They purchased Instagram. The writing has been on the wall for awhile and while Zuckerberg may be many things, stupid he is not.For those not targeting teens your target demo is most likely spending an inordinate amount of time on Facebook. Look at all the stats and Facebook still reigns king. Will it in five years, ten years? Who knows? But you can't predict the future. It's like hesitating to advertise on a certain TV show because you're not sure it will be popular three years from now.

What you should be doing is focusing a majority of your efforts where your customers are spending their time now. Not where you think they may be five years from now, and not panicking. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with preparing for the future. You should be thinking about how to collect data from your Facebook fans. Get their information in your database so if you do ever jump ship from Facebook you can stay in touch. But don't let a few articles, whether it be the crazy Princeton infectious disease study or the fear-based "teens are leaving" headlines, drive your marketing plan. Get a grip, stay calm and talk to your customers while they're still checking the newsfeed.