Think of a remarkable Super Bowl TV ad. How about a digital ad you recently clicked on? Or, a brand social post you recently reacted to? Chances are one or more of those spots were for a food or beverage brand.   

From iconic brands like Coca-Cola, Hershey, Budweiser, and Nabisco to emerging food and beverage brands, they are all competing for consumer eyeballs, (tastebuds!), and loyalty. In the crowded world of consumer-packaged goods, there are ways to stand out and reach the audience you want. Here are three ways to help your next food or beverage brand campaign succeed. 

 

1. Many Tactics. One Mission. 

There are more places and platforms to reach potential customers now than ever before. And it’s ok to use multiple ad and marketing channels to get a food or beverage brand in front of key audiences. However, when a brand campaign aims to reach people in various locations, the orchestra must be well-conducted and have a unified mission.  

Every tactic in your marketing campaign should have a consistent look and feel, with clear messaging and a clear call to action that leads to a consumer’s reaction, ultimately helping to achieve your brand’s marketing goal. At Rinck, we call this Dynamic Integration: when all paid, owned, and earned marketing tactics support each other and work together to meet established key performance indicators.  

In the jungle of food and beverage brands, this seamless campaign integration helps consumers understand and remember a brand’s key differentiating factors – gluten-free, dairy-free, great for busy parents, all-natural ingredients – and makes them more likely to react to a post, watch a video, click an ad, or use a product promo code when they see campaign content. 

 

2. The Power of Raving Fans

A recent survey found that 95% of consumers read online reviews of a product before making a purchase. More importantly, about half of those consumers trust reviews as much as a recommendation from a friend. Reviews are a form of third-party endorsement that can positively impact a brand’s perceived value and quality and strengthen customer loyalty.  

Since we know that people seek out third-party endorsements on their path to purchase, Rinck often recommends food or beverage brand partnerships with social influencers, interacting with and sharing user-generated content, and meeting raving fans of a brand through experiential marketing.  

Using real people who know and love your food or beverage product in brand campaigns helps build trust and credibility for the product. The content created by an influencer gets shared by their fans and can be reused on other brand platforms. From mustard to fish sticks, ice cream to milk, and jarred artichokes to olive oil, Rinck has seen great results from the power of third-party content in brand campaigns. 

 

3. Testing, Testing

Beware of the brand manager who says they want more awareness for a product but can’t tell you much about the current awareness level. Knowing baseline key performance indicators and customer and audience feedback before starting a campaign is the only way to truly know if campaign tactics improved awareness for a food or beverage product.  

Testing and establishing KPIs before a campaign can be achieved through focus groups, a survey of the intended campaign audience, analyzing the effectiveness of brand social content, or reviewing what went well in past campaigns. This pre-campaign work can pinpoint audience needs and wants, help shape campaign messaging and calls to action and ensure that campaign content is being deployed in the right places to the right people. 

When the campaign is over, it’s time for more testing. Do another survey to find out if people recall campaign content and have a stronger awareness of a product. Did social engagement increase? Did people redeem promo codes or coupons? How well did the campaign do at meeting all established KPIs? Take the time to test, analyze, and get consumer feedback before and after a campaign.  

 When it comes to launching a successful food or beverage brand campaign, it’s not just about showing up – it’s about showing up strategically. From getting your campaign tactics in synch across platforms, to identifying and partnering with real people who already love your brand, to analyzing data that shows what’s working (and what’s not), every piece needs to work together. At Rinck, we believe in building brand campaigns that don’t just make a splash – they make a lasting impact. 

Whether you’re an emerging food startup or a legacy name ready for a refresh, our team has the experience, tools, and creativity to help your brand break through the noise. Ready to drive awareness, build trust, and boost results? 

You’re going to love what happens next—connect with us at www.rinckadvertising.com and let’s get to work on making your next campaign a winner.