Advertising alcohol is a decades old challenge for many marketing agencies. While it may seem as though the same general rules apply for alcohol as for other products, the industry is varied, and the audience is particular. The best alcohol advertising agencies are able to harness the powers of both traditional and digital marketing platforms in order to specifically target their audiences in ways that are innovative and effective.

Alcohol advertising agencies must be experts in a number of areas. That’s why the most successful agencies are some of the best full-service marketing groups in the industry. These exceptional agencies employ the best creative minds and the most innovative thinkers in the business. They focus on a few key elements when marketing alcohol, including branding, storytelling, and placement.

Building Brand Awareness

The alcohol industry is jam packed with competition. This makes it especially important for alcohol advertising agencies to set their clients apart from the crowd. They need to establish a clear brand as soon as possible. The best-selling alcohol brands are always the most recognizable.

Part of establishing strong brand awareness is understanding the target market. Different types of alcohol are typically marketed to different segments of the population. Agencies must understand who they are trying to reach and build the brand around that. At the same time, they must also be aware of the regulations surrounding marketing alcohol and stay within the limits.

Telling a Compelling Story

Alcohol advertising is unique in that the most successful campaigns are usually centered around a long-standing story. Some alcohol brands have been continuing their stories for decades. Their customers are not only loyal to the product, but they are also invested in the story being told through the marketing campaigns.

The goal of any great alcohol marketing agency is to tell a compelling story that helps to increase brand loyalty and interest. They speak directly to their target market and tell a story that speaks to them. That’s why working with an incredible agency is so important. They have the best quality creatives on the job to help with this difficult task.

Marketing Across Many Platforms

Another challenge for alcohol marketing agencies is the fact that the products are often marketed across every possible media type. Since the industry has been advertising heavily since the early days of marketing, they still rely on these traditional formats. But don’t think that they are strictly old-school. The best agencies can seamlessly combine traditional media with digital advertising methods and tell a cohesive story across all platforms.

Not all agencies are up to the task, though. It is common to find boutique marketing groups that work in a small sector of marketing rather than offering a wide range of services. Full-service agencies who can successfully market on radio, print, television, as well as on websites and through social media are rare. Agencies that can do all of that plus create impactful branding as well as tell a compelling story are priceless.

Choosing the Best Alcohol Advertising Agencies

Not only do the best alcohol advertising agencies understand the business of building brands and compelling storytelling, but they also can track the results of their campaigns. These agencies use hard data to understand if a campaign is successful and in what ways. They constantly tweak and improve in order to get the best return on investment for their clients. Without the data to back up a marketing campaign, the results remain a mystery. The proof is in the data.

Since these agencies combine incredible creativity with data-driven productivity, they usually have an incredible track record. Organizations should always look at an agency’s previous successes, take a close look at their portfolio of work, and have in-depth conversations with potential alcohol advertising agencies before signing on the dotted line. It is important to work with an agency that can deliver exceptional results and is easy to work with.

Overall, successful alcohol advertising agencies must be talented across the board. They need to be able to understand the intricacies of the industry, create impactful branding, and create a story that customers are invested in. On top of all of that, they must be able to work across all media platforms and track the data to ensure their work is reaching the right audience.