ALL TOO OFTEN drinks brands seem to follow the crowd instead of making themselves stand out at the party and really engaging with their audience. Consumers want something back from a brand – stories that they can share and relate to. 

Brands need to listen to the other stories being told and enjoyed and start telling their own story, making sure they are the centre of attention at their party and in this digital world it has never been easier to share our stories.

It starts with a story…

With the news that Twitter is outrunning Facebook and Google in terms of one of the most crucial areas for growth, drinks brands need to wake up to our social media-driven world. 

The fundamental issue here that brands need to understand is that these days social media platforms are like supercharged global versions of a local community hall where people gather to chat, share experiences and interests. If brands want to get involved in these conversations then they have to realise it is not about one way messaging, rather it is about them helping and supporting the social media communities so it is beneficial to them, providing them with a reason to engage with the brand. It’s all about storytelling; think of it as The Glenlivet supplying the drink for the party at the community hall while holding a whisky tasting demonstration or discussing the myths and legends associated with whisky brands. So, how do brands reach their audience in a different way, without overselling?

Getting the party started – what do you bring?

Brands need to be aware that they can’t simply just show up to the party with nothing to offer. Look at spirits and high end wines; what do they bring to the party? They bring snippets of knowledge and stories to accompany their product. It isn’t uncommon for whiskies to come with a myth or legend. Tomatin’s Cù Bòcan, meaning ghost dog in Gaelic, is named after the mythical creature that stalks around the distillery and represents Tomatin’s darker side as they use peated malt to make the whisky.

Or what about the non-conformist Bruichladdich, the self-proclaimed ‘roguish’ distillers who share the same attributes as their Gaelic forefathers? I think it’s their honesty that strikes a note with consumers; they describe themselves as a Cinderella, a ravishing natural beauty who was overlooked and unwanted – never given the chance to go to the ball. Who wouldn’t want to try this after reading such a refreshingly honest description of their product?

The Glenlivet is of course “The single malt that started it all” and being the biggest selling single malt whisky in the US and the second biggest selling single malt brand globally who can argue with that?

Whisky brands often bring mystery and legend whereas wine brands are about provenance. More contemporary brands are attempting to bring aspects of art and craft to their party – brands providing cocktails and mixology knowledge for their consumers, encouraging them to be experimental with their brands, for example suggesting that there are more uses for gin than just the simple G&T.

These brands engage with their consumers via storytelling and experimentation, not just piggy backing on what countless other brands are doing. The unique stories encourage consumers to talk about the brand and share the stories and knowledge online and offline with their friends.

Don’t follow the crowd – stand out

For me, the biggest disappointment when it comes to drinks brands, is that there is growing number of brands jumping on the back of music, be it a band, an event or an album. Drinks brands seem to think they can automatically bring music to the party – but if everyone does that then that is going to make for one long playlist, boring the consumer eventually. Have these brands really nothing else to say that they have to go with the lowest common denominator approach? Brands end up having to spend their way out of the noise made by other brands so unless you are a brand like Smirnoff, who can afford to back big activities such as the Smirnoff Nightclub Exchange Project, you need to figure out your unique story that you need to tell. And tell it well.

Brands need to own their specific area of content in order to stand out from the other party goers. Look at Jameson Whiskey – they dominate the niche market of short film and have done incredibly well from it. For some time now they have sponsored short film festivals and competitions and have continued to make this connection bigger and stronger. They own this niche market and the content they share, something that more brands should be doing instead of jumping on a generic bandwagon like music.

Making sure the area of content is niche but rich enough to ensure longevity and that it resonates with the brand and the brand’s target audience is crucial. When brands are sharing their stories, or content in the digital world, they need to target the right socialites and opinion leaders – those that will go on and spread the word and be heard amongst their peers, introducing them to new stories, new ideas and content that the brand has the right to own or be a part of.

Everyone loves a good story

Brands need to identify an important message that their consumer really believes in and stands for and build the brand story around that. Demonstrate this message through activities, products and people that consumers can relate to and give the consumer a reason to buy into the story, not just the product. We are lucky that we have so many methods of sharing our content and engaging with consumers so make the most of them.

It isn’t just whisky and wines that are utilising the storytelling method to build audiences. Rums and tequilas are jumping on board, with specialist brands coming from South America, an area which is seeing growth in the industry.

Consumers want to get something in return; brands that offer interesting and relevant content that people enjoy reading, discussing and sharing, without aggressively overselling will be the ones that consumers build an emotional connection with and go back to time and time again. One of the strongest things that a brand can do is provide their consumer with knowledge that empowers them, whether that is about the brand, how to drink the brand or how the brand interacts with other subject areas.

So when your brand arrives at the party, make sure it starts a conversation about a subject it has the right to talk about. But more than anything, make sure your target audience will want to engage in the conversation and spread the stories.