Beverage companies embrace digital billboard advertising

Nielsen names Bai as 2016 Breakthrough Innovation winner

One of my favorite singers Billy Joel sings “A New York State of Mind,” and I was in that same frame of mind during a recent business trip to the Big Apple. I hadn’t been to Manhattan in almost 30 years and marveled at how different it looked. Not only was Times Square considerably cleaner, but what stood out, literally, were the towering digital billboards that flashed advertising, promos for upcoming TV shows, events and movies and more.

From the top of a double-decker bus, unconventional advertisements of several beverage brands also resonated. For example, a huge red-and-white Budweiser ad was plastered on the side of a building. With the five-ringed Olympic logo in place, the graphically interesting, sports- themed ad featured male and female athletes playing soccer, throwing a javelin, running and preparing to hit the water.

Another billboard featured the 5-calorie goodness of Bai, proclaiming its “High Fashion Flavor and Thrift Store Calories.” Bai also made news last month as it was the only beverage recognized by New York-based Nielsen as a 2016 U.S. Nielsen Breakthrough Innovation Award winner. In a statement, Nielsen said it reviewed nearly 3,500 consumer products that were introduced in the consumer packaged goods market in 2014, recognizing 18 that help to improve daily routines, it said. It also noted that it was the first time two start-up companies, one being Bai, were recognized.

Many other brands, like the sports drink beverage BODYARMOR, ramp up interest in their products using traditional marketing such as social media, field and event marketing or by simply having consumers try their products. These tactics seem to be working for BODYARMOR, which is experiencing triple-digit growth. For more information, see the cover story.

Regardless of the ways today’s beverage brands are marketing themselves, it’s likely that they will continue to use both conventional and high-tech ways to get noticed.

Barbara Harfmann, managing editor of Beverage Industry, visits beverage companies for cover stories and facility tours, and writes and edits for the magazine’s print and online components. She also represents the magazine at trade shows and events. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications and Public Relations from Illinois State University.

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