The power of social media platforms

Beverage brands engage with SnapChat

Although I regularly use Facebook, like many baby boomers, I am not currently immersed in Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and other social media platforms that increasingly are being used by beverage companies to communicate and connect with consumers in real time.

Yet, two items that recently crossed my desk have further intrigued me about the power of social media. As a longtime fan of TV’s “Gilmore Girls,” I and many other fans eagerly awaited the Nov. 25 revival on Netflix to catch up on the lives of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore and all the fictional characters of Stars Hollow.

To further pique viewers’ interest, Netflix touted the reboot and the 16th anniversary of the show on Oct. 5 by transforming 200 cafés around the country into Luke’s Diner, with coffee cups that featured Snapcodes that were seen by more than 500,000 people on Snapchat, according to Netflix. Using the 2-D scan-able barcodes, fans were able to receive free coffee in a custom Luke’s cup, which featured quotes about coffee from the new revival. Netflix non-subscribers also received a free three-month subscription to watch the show and fans were able to use the hashtags #HappyBirthdayGilmore or #LukesDiner to view fans’ photos and more.

Fictional cafés are not the only ones that have experienced the power of Snapchat. Heineken USA’s Dos Equis brand is encouraging sports fans to “Stay Thirsty” with its new Most Interesting Man via filters and lenses on Snapchat. The national filter will launch during the National Championship game on Jan. 9, 2017, and will showcase Dos Equis’ commitment to the College Football Playoff with The Most Interesting Man in the World, it says

Today, more than ever, it is increasingly important for the beverage industry to connect with its fans using these powerful engagement tools.

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.