Media Conglomerate Isn’t Its Own Best Client
In House Team, Bettered by Agency
“The A3 team has taken the time to understand our specific
company needs for advertising exposure by immersing
themselves in our beer brands to understand where they fit in
a highly competitive market environment. They worked within
the confines of our budget in 2019, and got more for us than
expected, both in advertising value, and sales results.
We’re working with them again in 2020.”
Lou Romano
President
Executive Summary
In 2016 a media conglomerate purchased the majority share in the brewery to diversify their holdings, and help improve the slumping sales, and awareness of this locally reputed brewery, throughout a nationally competitive, and growing craft brewery landscape. The investment firm chose to leverage their internal media, and brewery marketing staffs’ expertise, and industry relationships to enact annual media campaigns, and advertising efforts. Unfortunately, sales continued to plummet for 3 consecutive years despite the efforts, and support of the media investment firm. Eventually, the brewery chose to partner with A3 Media in 2019 to utilize A3’s 25 years of experience in the media planning sector, and specifically to take advantage of their proficiency in Micro Market Media® strategies. A3 Media was given one quarter in only a limited territory to help reverse declining sales.
Goals
-
To increase sales, and brand awareness of some
flagship brands, a variety pack, and two new brews -
To stretch a limited budget across multiple media
platforms for the summer months, including some
Jersey shore points
Obstacles
-
Lack of creative elements. Options included static
imagery and audio only -
Chosen mediums required geotargeting due to media
placement being highly restricted to a small portion of
the territory footprint -
Only 3 months were slotted for the flight duration
during highly sought-after summer months -
The small budget allotted was to promote several
brands at the same time
Approach
A3 Media vetted and negotiated with dozens of media outlets in order to layer in as many cost efficient media options as possible.
A variety of locally popular radio stations, showing high listenership during the summer tourist season were purchased. Streamed audio was geotargeted, and digital ads were placed, and verified with blockchain technology. Billboards were positioned along major beach routes as well as the Atlantic City boardwalk. Micro-Influencers were enlisted to support branding efforts.
Results
Despite a diminishing retail account list, and multiple out of stock issues occurring during the ad campaign, by August 2019 the Client recorded the highest sales lift in 3 years, and an average of a 28 percent increase in sales occurred across all brands. Overall, company-wide brand lift increased by 15 points despite placing the media campaign in only a small portion of the brewery’s eight state footprint, bringing the entire company’s sales from a negative -9 percent to a positive + 6 percent.
Summary
The brand recorded the largest gains inside their wholesaler network for 2019 in the craft beer division. The growth has led to the brewery expanding their portfolio of brands, and investing in another canning line. In addition, the 2020 media budget has been doubled for A3 Media to position additional new brews in the market as well as a new line of seltzers. The media plan will encompass an expanded area, significantly larger, within the brewery’s footprint.