How to Advertise to Consumers Who Don't Want to Be Advertised To

        Millennials and craft beer consumers are equally perplexing; they love the latest and best craft beer styles and flavors but don't care to be advertised to....so how do you inform and get your product message across without "advertising"? 

         Social media is key for this demographic; the more the advertiser can utilize the consumers as content creators the more effective the campaign. Consumer created content gives the product credibility, saves oodles of advertising budget money and engages in two way consumer/producer communication that has become so vital in effective modern advertising. Instagram is the perfect platform for capturing millennials; hashtags provide essentially free impressions and allows the message to reach more consumers. Instagram photos allow the quality of the product to speak for itself, because at the end of the day, millennials are willing to spend a little extra dough to get a superior quality product. Paradoxically, millennials are willing to spend more money on a product but aren't seduced by the physical product itself- they are in it for the ride. They are more willing to buy the experience over the actual product you are selling. Focus on selling a lifestyle or a state of mind. Old Spice doesn't sell deodorant and body spray, it sells sex. Taco bell $1 All Day Campaign doesn't sell tacos, they sell everyday decadence. Charlotte Tilbury doesn't sell perfume, she sells style. Grey Goose Vodka doesn't sell vodka, it sells adventure and Yuengling doesn't sell beer, it sells camaraderie,  happiness and the enjoyment of life's simple luxuries. Push the adventure of what your brand promises above all else, because life is all about the experience. Check out the links below to some of my favorite all time commercials that sell the experience. 

Grey Goose Vodka Fly Away 

Taco Bell $1 All Day

Scent of a Dream
Claude Van Damme Volvo Truck Split

Kenzo World
Sarah and Juan Extra Gum

Cheers to the Ladies!

"In ancient civilizations, women brewed for their families and sold of the excess to others nearby. Beer in Ancient Egypt was almost solely produced and sold by women, and when the U.S. was first colonized women were the primary brewers. Producing beer made from ingredients like corn, oats, wheat, and honey. Brewing didn't become a male dominated industry until the Industrial Revolution, when the potential business opportunities were realized" 

(Craft Beer & Women). 

          Beer commercials are typically targeted towards men but what about the women? The consumption index of female beer drinkers is relatively low but according to consumer shopping reports, the numbers are steadily increasing! How will this affect the marketing and advertising of a product historically marketed towards one gender? With increasing numbers of women consuming beer, specifically craft beer, beer companies are missing a potentially untapped market of consumers! Women consist of 25% of beer drinkers in the U.S. and although databases like MRI show women still as a statistically insignificant market, it cannot be denied that there is definite potential! Among women, ages 21-35 are the heaviest beer drinkers, and by focusing more beer commercials toward women in this age segment, companies like Yuengling could convert them into lifelong consumers! 37% of lager beer consumption is women, after all! The Brewers Association reports that among Millenials, 41% of them are weekly beer drinkers and 57% are weekly craft beer drinkers! The numbers don't lie! Beer companies should spend more of their advertising budget to capture this new and growing market of young female beer drinkers! Cheers to the ladies!



Refrences

"Craft Beer & Women." A Look at Craft Beer and Women Awesome Infographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.


"UGA Libraries Off-Campus Login." Mintel. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017. <http://academic.mintel.com.proxy-remote.galib.uga.edu/display/753114/?highlight#hit1>.


"Today's Craft Beer Lovers: Millennials, Women and Hispanics." Brewers Association. N.p., 15 Aug. 2016. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.