Social media influencers are now being viewed as a dominant growth strategy for alcohol brands. New alcohol brands are including influencers in their marketing plans. These up-and-coming alcohol brands are hoping to experience success launching their new alcohol products. Current brands are looking to refresh their image in order to be seen as true competitors.
Alcohol brands are now focusing their marketing efforts to address the new normal. According to the JAMA Network, during the week ending March 21, 2020, in the US alcohol sales increased by 262% year over year. The alcohol industry has so far managed to create engaging online content to reach new audiences. Even with all of the strict marketing rules and age limits in place.
Statistics tell us that men drink more than women. This accounts for the majority of alcohol marketing ads geared towards men between the ages of 18 and 49. Nearly 67% of women between the ages of 18 and 49 drink alcohol, making them the second most targeted demographic group.
The alcoholic beverage industry is expected to be worth 735 billion dollars by the year 2025.
Influencer Marketing
Due to the nature of their product alcohol brands face several marketing obstacles. They must abide by alcohol marketing rules, which include not targeting minors. If they do not they will need to pay the consequences. To ensure an alcohol brand marketing campaign correctly follows all advertising rules it must properly vet any potential influencers.
Whether it’s by research alone or utilizing social media tools that help match brands with the right influencer, brands must choose the right influencer who also has the right audience. Alcohol influencers must also write content in the tone of the brand to properly promote. Order of importance is audience fit, brand fit, content fit.
Brands must perform comprehensive research to learn if an influencer’s audience fits in with the brand’s demographics, location, and interests. Brand fit requires brands to thoroughly explore an influencers promotional history. When it comes to content fit, the influencer must match the voice, tone, look, and feel of the brand to authentically promote it to their audience.
Some brands choose to take one or more influencers under their wing to teach them how to be professional marketing influencers for their brand. Brands don’t mind investing a lot of their time and money into the right influencer. The goal is to work side by side with the influencer as the brand grows.
When used properly, influencer marketing has the ability to bring in big business for any brand niche.
Like any other brand, alcohol brands can also benefit from utilizing influencer marketing. Niche targeting engages audiences, and brand recognition is among the top benefits received. Alcohol industries must abide by certain marketing restrictions, potentially making it more difficult for them to get their message across on one or more social media platforms.
Alcohol Brands
To prevent potential restrictions alcohol brands must create a marketing strategy that also takes into consideration laws and age restrictions all over the world. Alcohol brands must know their audience well, as the better, they know their audience and their content likes, the more likely they’ll create an engagement strategy that averts alcohol advertising restrictions in place.
Influencer Marketing for Alcohol Brands
Alcohol brands have the ability to access a whole new audience using one or more of today’s social media influencers. The fact that these brands can reach millions of people quickly means they must focus on marketing their brand in a way that promotes responsible drinking. Initiatives are in place to prevent minors from viewing any alcohol promotional advertisements.
Alcohol brands choosing to use influencer marketers on Facebook will find they are one of the top three industries that pay the highest cost per click. Finance and beauty make up the other two. More than 80% of alcohol marketers choose to place their ads in Facebook’s News Feed. Less than 10% of alcohol brands choose to promote their products on Facebook Stories.
When it comes to Instagram, just under 60% of alcohol brands choose to display their alcohol advertisements on Instagram’s News Feed. About 40% of brands chose to post their promotional ads to Instagram Stories. Instagram currently has nearly three times as many alcohol influencers on its platform compared to Facebook.
The TikTok platform has fewer alcohol influencers than other top social media platforms yet it has the highest number of alcohol brand followers. It also boasts a higher engagement rate as TikTok is the leading platform when it comes to the most engagements on average.
Alcohol influencers who utilize YouTube as their marketing platform tend to generate the most views overall. Macro-influencers and mega-influencers have the highest amount of views with over one million followers.
Digital Marketing
As the alcohol industry is one that’s highly regulated, brands must keep current with all of the latest news that is in any way connected to their industry. This ensures they are complying with any and all alcohol advertising laws, as well as digital marketing guidelines.
Digital marketing best strategies for alcohol brands include marketing only to those of legal purchase age. Marketing ads must also be transparent and market to an audience in which at least 71.6% is expected to be of the legal purchase age.
Alcohol brands that focus on strong and simple themes tend to have the most followers. Successful alcohol brand influencer strategies include Jameson Irish Whiskey, Jack Daniels Whiskey, Absolut Vodka, and Bud Light.
Top Alcohol Influencers
Alcohol influencers must have a high school diploma and be at least 21 years old. Many brands prefer they also have a college degree. A minimum of 70% of their followers must be over the age of 21. To properly promote alcohol influencers must know how to tell a story.
The list below includes top alcohol influencers from all over the world.
1. ƳƖƝЄƬH MЄƊƖƝƛ @yinethfit_
From Colombia, this alcohol influencer is also a fitness model. 1.8 million followers. 3.05% engagement rate. 38,000 authentic engagements.
2. Friday Beers @friday.beers
From the United States. 1.5 million followers. 0.73% engagement rate. 4,400 authentic engagements.
3. GUEULETON @gueuleton
From France, this alcohol influencer also focuses on food and cooking. 300,000 followers. 7. 45% rate. 17,000 authentic engagements.
4. Albert & Christine @albertschrei
From France. 200,000 followers. 9.52% engagement rate. 15,000 authentic engagements.
5. LICENSED TO DISTILL @licensed_to_distill
From the United States. 1.2 million followers. 0.29% engagement rate. 2,300 authentic engagements.
6. Drink home ibiza @drinkhomeibiza
From Spain. 400,000 followers. 1.88% engagement rate. 5,600 authentic engagements.
7. Mezcal Aleron @mezcalaleron
From Mexico. 400,000 followers. 1.78% engagement rate. 5,400 authentic engagements.
8. DIDONE | CHURRASCO E RECEITAS @picanhanabrasa_
From Brazil, this alcohol influencer also focuses on food and cooking. 400,000 followers. 1.72% engagement rate. 4,400 authentic engagements.
9. Cocineros Argentinos @cocinerosarg
From Argentina, this alcohol influencer also focuses on food and cooking shows. 1.7 million followers. 0.09% engagement rate. 1,400 authentic engagements.
10. Finest Bars @cocktailbars
From Mexico City, Mexico. 400,000 followers. 1.13% engagement rate. 3,500 authentic engagements.
11. Cocktail Society @aboutdrinksandbars
From Germany. 300,000 followers. 1.58% engagement rate. 3,600 authentic engagements.
12. Proper No. Twelve @properwhiskey
From Ireland. 800,000 followers. 0.28% engagement rate. 1,500 authentic engagements.
13. RIEDEL The Wine Glass Company @riedel_official
Alcohol influencer also offers DIY & Design information. 200,000 followers. 5.72% engagement rate. 6,600 authentic engagements.
14. Drinkeros @drinkeros
From Brazil. 700,000 followers. 0.3% engagement rate. 1,400 authentic engagements.
15. Casa Valduga @casavalduga
From Brazil. 300,000 followers. 1.49% engagement rate. 3,300 authentic engagements.
16. Davide Lacerenza @davidelacerenza
From Milan, Italy. 200,000 followers. 3.76% engagement rate. 4,300 authentic engagements.
17. Кирмичи Денис @denis.chirmici_vino
From Russia. This alcohol influencer also offers management and marketing services. 600,000 followers. 0.44% engagement rate. 1,400 authentic engagements.
18. Hooters @hooters
From the United States. this alcohol influencer also specializes in lifestyle photography. 400,000 followers. 0.69% engagement rate. 2,000 authentic engagements.
19. TasteToronto @tastetoronto
From Toronto, Canada. This alcohol influencer also specializes in food and cooking, as well as sweets and bakery. 500,000 followers. 0.41% engagement rate. 1,500 authentic engagements.
20.SLOVA MISTURA QUE EU GOSTO @vodkaslovaoficial
From Maceio, Brazil. 500,000 followers. 1% engagement rate. 1,800 authentic engagements.
Top alcohol influencers can now be found all over the world – Kuwait, Ukraine, Lebanon, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Poland, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, India, Egypt, Australia.
Conclusion
The alcohol industry faces many challenges when it comes to utilizing social media influencers. Alcohol brands must not only pay close attention to but also take certain precautions when choosing an alcohol influencer to promote their brand. Alcohol influencers play a very important role in brand success as they are not only a brand representative, they are a trusted partner.
The increasing demand for alcohol influencers tells us that alcohol brands are experiencing some degree of marketing success. Alcohol brands can now reach new audiences by partnering up with the right influencer. Now that alcohol brands have the ability to promote alcohol on one or more social media platforms using professional influencers, alcohol will continue to be showcased in a fresh and entertaining way.
