Themes: B2C Marketing Strategies, Creative Branding Examples and Connecting IRL and Digital Activation for Drinks Brands.

As a London-based drinks brand development agency, activations are a constant source of inspiration for us. They are the point where creative strategy and inspired design come together to create something special, bringing a brand's world and voice to life.

There are all sorts of ways a drinks brand can activate though, across the range of available channels and touchpoints. Plus, an increasing focus on balancing between or even interweaving real world and digital tactics. What shape activations take is down to the brand, its needs and those of the customer to identify the right marketing opportunities.

If you’re in the market to build the right activation strategy, please reach out and let’s talk.

In the meantime though, we wanted to share some recent examples that demonstrate great execution of activation from drinks brands, from different angles. The approach to the Christmas activation season is always a perfect time of year to look around, see what’s out there and soak up some inspiration! So here are 3 examples that we love for their creative designs, strong strategic links, and fantastical realization.

Bringing Wonder to a Pop-up

This November we were blown away by the “Wonder Hotline” pop up by Glenmorangie. Deployed in the heart of Spitalfields market, the event brought to life their new “It’s kind of DELICIOUS and WONDERFUL” campaign.

Before even arriving at the scene, the pop-up was very intelligently publicised, working with services such as The Nudge and London on the Inside, on web and social media to get the word out, while creating an “in the know” sense of appeal.

The pop-up itself featured a bright, floral and sculptural display, with a signature brand orange phone booth at its heart. Perfectly embodying the rich, tropical and slightly surreal look and feel of their new campaign and drawing the eye.

To engage once intrigued, consumers were invited to enter the phone booth, speak to a voice on the other side and through a series of cryptic questions, find their perfect local partner bar to redeem a free cocktail.

Speakeasy meets treasure hunt, for a brilliant piece of drinks marketing!

Participating bars included The Cocktail Trading Company, Coupette, The Light Bar, Milroy’s Spitalfields and Seed Library.

Wonderworks Takeout. The strength of this for us was in the way it brought a sense of wonder to a familiar setting, while referencing the real world around it. Creating a sense of the brand acting as a doorway to discover something special or a catalyst to create a unique experience – a perfect real-life embodiment of their campaign. Beginning a journey leading on to the wonderful bars around Shoreditch.

Learn more about the pop-up here

Digitally Enhanced Gifting

Digital activation can be particularly challenging to execute in a way that feels truly engaging and special, particularly for a drinks brand, but we were inspired recently by Tanqueray’s newest gift pack that promises to be “THE GIFT THAT GOES BEYOND”.

The box promises a personalised experience triggered by a QR code on the back that invites consumers to discover a personalised Martini cocktail, matched to their tastes. With cocktail creation guided by partner mixologists and the overall experience hosted by the wonderful Stanley Tucci to bring some star power.

A fantastic, focussed push to bring their drinks strategy into peoples’ homes!

Wonderworks Takeout. This activation stands out for us for its seamless integration of digital enhancement to a physical gift, providing a fun, educational value-add that promotes their Tanqueray No.10’s ability to elevate your drinking occasion and #MakeItaTEN.

Follow this link to discover more about Tanqueray’s gift box. Maybe a gift for the Tucci-lover in your life?

If you’d like a little more inspiration on creating a home serve strategy, check out our Insight Report on the subject here

Or if you’d like to see how brands have been exploring the expanding role of the home premise, click here

A Serve-First Spectacle

One where we just have to toot our own horn! It was a delight this year to work with the team at Angostura to bring to life a campaign world centred around their new hero serve the “Queen’s Park Swizzle”.

With them we worked to create a space where the serve could come to life – “The Swizzle Club”. An inviting space where the serve could shine, and people could experience the energy of the drink and of Trinidad and Tobago itself.

A space which we were delighted to see brought into the real world this year at Bar Convent Berlin!

Wonderworks Takeout. The Queen’s Park Swizzle = refreshing afternoon perfection!

See our full case study write-up on the stand here.

We hope that these examples have sparked some ideas for you.
If you need help from a drinks brand activation agency, regarding an upgrade upcoming project, please don’t hesitate to reach out!