Beer Promotion in the Wild World of the Internet
The Challenge for Breweries in Today's Regulated Marketplace is
immense. For the past decade the advertising of alcoholic
products has been increasingly subject to both government
regulation and self-regulatory bodies. In Canada, the CRTC's
August 1996 Code for Broadcast Advertising of Alcoholic
Beverages severely restricted the way in which alcohol products
are presented on both radio and television. It is not an
exaggeration to say that any advertisement adhering to these
regulations would be dull indeed, and almost obscure any attempt
at promotion - you can't enjoy yourself and drink beer at the
same time! Print material such as entrepreneurial magazines and
newspapers are less restricted, though regulated by provincial
Liquor Boards. The same ethical limitations apply: do not link
enjoyment with alcohol consumption; do not direct your ad to
youth; do not over-promote; do not pass Go! Also,
self-regulation within various media abounds.
In the United States a similar situation exists. The Federal
Trade Commission and Congress are the key regulating
authorities. In addition, individual media and media groups
establish their own code of ethics, often refusing to publish or
broadcast alcohol advertising.
The challenge? How do breweries and microbreweries 'get the word
out' about their products within an advertising marketplace of
such limited visibility where self-promotion is frowned upon?
When traditional methods are not a viable option we must
identify and utilize those of the future. One way breweries can
take advantage of modern advertising options is to share your
product with the world on the Internet. You may already have a
company website. It's fun, it positively promotes your product
with enthusiasm as no TV ad is now permitted to do. Your
T-shirts and ball caps have their own page. Potential customers
are visiting your website on a regular basis, once they stumble
across your site on a night of Internet surfing. However, is
this kind of customer traffic really the most effective use of
such a dynamic advertising tool? All that creative and technical
effort and your audience consist of web junkies and the
occasional salesperson trying to sell you something.
The
solution to this problem is targeted pixel marketing. Websites
are being developed which help increase traffic on subject
related web pages. For instance, pixel space for your beer label
on the beer home page may be purchased for a reasonable cost.
The label then links with your own webpage.
Beer festivals may be a long established custom, however the
modern version is a true advertising event and increasingly
popular, not only with the locals. Beer fans travel far to
attend their favorite bash. To choose the festival which most
suites your product, the Internet comes to the rescue once
again. A number of websites list festivals. Check the bottom row
of thebeerhomepage.com for the most popular beer festivals
around the world.
Besides a shift in promotional methods, a fresh approach in
attitude will go a long way in changing public perception of
beer. Taking a leaf out the wine industry's book may be the
answer. Wine sales have risen since their advertisers started
promoting wine "as a natural product, a healthy option, a
sophisticated and educated choice, a compliment to food and
equally popular with men and women. In fact, beer can also boast
all these things, but its public perception is poor by
comparison" says Peter Kendal of Molson Coors Brewers. He
continues, "Beer is a wholesome, natural product, made from
malted barley and hops. Moreover, moderate (and we stress
moderate) beer drinking is just as healthy as moderate wine
drinking".
To conclude, these are only a few examples of the way a modern
approach to advertising need not battle with established
regulations. A positive, open mind and a willingness to switch
gears should lead to a healthy return on your advertising
dollars.
About the author:
Keith Tomlinson is the President of Excalibur Communications,
the company that created TheBeerHomepage.com Pixel Marketing web
portal. Besides web marketing and development Excalibur provides
value added 1-800 lead generation, tracking and conference call
services to a wide range of clientele through North America.
Visit http://www.thebeerhomepage.com to find out more about this
exciting and fun new way of advertising.
Written by: Keith Tomlinson
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