Your client lifting
a few at beer festivals
What a crowd, young, adventurous and open to new experiences
By Diego Vasquez
Jan 17, 2012
Last year hundreds of beer festivals took place across the country, events where crowds of people gather to sample and drink beer.
These beer festivals are becoming an attractive venue for out-of-home advertisers because they draw young people who have money to spend.
Because festivals target those over age 21, the audience is old enough to hold a steady job but have yet to settle on the brand preferences that will carry them through adulthood. They are sampling in all areas of life.
And beer festivals are not just for beer advertisers. They're suitable for anyone targeting young people with disposable income.
To find out how to get your client at beer festivals, read on.
This is one in a Media Life series on buying out-of-home venues. They appear weekly.
Fast Facts
What
Advertising and sponsorship at beer festivals.
Who
The organizer of each individual festival handles advertising and sponsorship.
How it works
Beer festivals are typically outdoor events where local, regional and national beer makers allow visitors to test their products.
Like many events, the most high-profile inventory at beer festivals is title sponsorship, which ensures a brand's name will be displayed in all marketing for the event and included in any mentions in the media.
Advertising opportunities at the actual festival start at the entrance, with signage around the entryway for top-level sponsors and ads on wristbands distributed as proof of paid admission.
Inside the festivals are a series of booths and tents. Most of these are set up by the beer makers, but food and non-alcoholic drink vendors and advertisers looking to interact with the crowds can also exhibit.
Advertisers can also sponsor the cups used by the festival crowds to drink their beer.
Many festivals have designated areas that can be sponsored. For example, an event could have stages for music and entertainment sponsored by a local radio station.
Other sponsor-friendly areas include beer gardens with varying themes (microbrews, imports, etc.), cigar lounges and food tasting areas
Markets
Beer festivals take place in or near every major market.
Numbers
Attendance at beer fests varies depending on the size of the event. One of the larger events, the three-day Great American Beer Festival in Wisconsin, has averaged 49,000 visitors per year since 2009.
On the smaller end, the one-day WaZoo Beer Fest in Tampa, Fla., brought in a record 4,600 visitors last year.
How it is measured
Paid attendance is tracked at beer festivals, and advertiser can also track things such as number of items handed out or people signed up for a giveaway.
What product categories work well
Recent or current beer festival advertisers include beer, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, food, auto, insurance, cell phones, telecommunications and local media such as newspapers and radio stations.
Demographics
Beer drinkers are 62 percent male and 38 percent female, according to Scarborough Research.
Sixteen percent of beer drinkers are ages 18-29, with 34 percent 30-44, 37 percent 45-64 and 13 percent 65-plus.
Sixty percent have an average household income of $50,000 or higher, with 42 percent at $75,000 or more and 25 percent at $100,000 or above.
Making the buy
Advertising and sponsorship deals can be set up just 30 days before the event, although many (especially title sponsorships) are worked out months in advance.
Pricing varies based on the level of involvement. A small campaign at a festival could cost $1,000, while a title sponsorship could run $60,000.
Who’s already been at beer festivals
Recent brands that have sponsored and advertised at beer festivals include Ford, Crispin Cider, Mike's Hard Lemonade, ESPN Radio, Verizon, Samuel Adams, Time Warner Cable, Coca-Cola, Geico, Siemens, State Farm, SmartTravel and Werther's Original.
What they’re saying
"The beer crowd is young, educated, and they're professional people, so they're the folks you're branding to. They are still open to branding, so that's why they're open to the messaging. They make a decent wage and are on their way to doing very well. And they're very tech-savvy." –
Tom Tarry, CEO of the Results Group, which organizes the Empire Brewfest in New York
Web site info
Great American Beer Festival (Colorado)
http://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com
Oregon Brewers Festival
http://oregonbrewfest.com
Empire Brewfest
http://www.empirebrewfest.com
Vermont Brewers Festival
http://vtbrewfest.com
Fremont Oktoberfest (Seattle area)
http://www.fremontoktoberfest.com
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati
http://www.oktoberfestzinzinnati.com
Seattle International Beerfest
http://www.seattlebeerfest.com
Great Taste of the Midwest (Wisconsin)
http://www.mhtg.org/great-taste-of-the-midwest
Classic City Brewfest (Georgia)
http://www.classiccitybrew.com/brewfest.html
Bockefest (Los Angeles)
http://www.bockfest.net
|
|
|
