Key takeaway
When launching a new food or drink product, a good influencer marketing campaign and local PR strategy help you reach the right audience quickly. Using a clear message about the product’s benefits makes it easier for business owners and marketers to drive sales and boost brand awareness.
Strategist’s Insight – Veronica Colombo
“We wanted to make a big splash with Bavaria Ultra. The beer market is tough, so we had to be clever. By teaming up with well-known faces like Anna and Ian Madigan, we showed that you can have a low-calorie beer without losing out on taste. We didn’t just send out standard press releases; we created fun experiences, like our cooler box gift drops and the Joe.ie videos, that made people actually want to share the brand with their friends.”
The Brief
Bavaria launched a brand-new low-carb, low-calorie beer in Ireland called Bavaria Ultra. The main goal was to tell people about this new choice and prove that a healthier beer can still taste great. They needed a full marketing plan to get the word out to both everyday shoppers and retail trade buyers.
The Strategy
Our plan focused on getting people talking through different online and offline channels.
Influencer Partnerships & Engagement: Working with health and lifestyle influencers to show how the beer fits into a balanced life.
Trade and Consumer PR: Getting features in key industry magazines like Drinks Industry Ireland and ShelfLife so shop owners would stock the product.
Fun Media Partners: Teaming up with popular websites to create entertaining videos that people would want to watch and share.
The Implementation
Influencer & PR Drops
We started the campaign by partnering with Anna and Ian Madigan to create relaxed, authentic content. We also sent out a special package to 30 top influencers. This included the new beer packaged inside a high-quality, branded cooler box, which encouraged them to share photos and videos online.
Media & Video Partnerships
We ran a large news and editorial campaign across Ireland. A big highlight was our partnership with Joe.ie, where we made a comedy ‘vox-pop’ video interview on the streets and ran a competition. This helped us get massive interaction and views from our target audience.
The Results
Great Online Buzz: The video with Joe.ie and the influencer posts got thousands of views, likes, and comments.
Strong Retail Support: By targeting trade magazines, we made sure shop owners and bar managers knew about the new beer, helping to secure more shelf space.
A Winning Message: The slogan “Ultra taste, no compromise” successfully convinced shoppers that they didn’t have to give up flavour for a low-calorie option.
