Alcoholic beverage sales are up during the pandemic

As COVID-19 continues, some bars and pubs have attempted reopening with social distancing measures in place – a moment that UK beer brand Carlsberg seized – but for many, staying at home is both safer and cheaper. People are ravenously consuming entertainment on TV, and beer or liquor is typically part of the experience. This has had a direct impact on the sales of alcoholic beverages, as noted by Andrew McGuire, Great Lakes regional vice president for Molson Coors Beverage Company.

“When panic sort of set in, we saw this huge surge at the grocery store, club stores and things like that — just to load up on beer,” McGuire told Milwaukee Fox affiliate Fox6Now.com. “We actually stopped production on kegs and bottles that would go to bars for a few months. And on the flip side, honestly, those 24-pack cans — we can’t make quickly enough.”

Fox reported that alcohol sales at brick and mortar stores nationwide were up 26% in mid-June, with spirits up 35%, wine up 29%, and beer up 21%. As people sit home and drink with the television on, advertisers have an opportunity to put their brands front and center with consumers. As any Super Bowl viewer will tell you, watching the unique creative that advertisers position during the big game is half the fun, and alcohol brands take full advantage of that.

According to Interpret’s New Media Measure®, alcohol buyers who watch via a Smart TV or internet-enabled streaming device are more receptive to watching commercials than non-alcohol buyers. The trick is to create innovative yet brief spots that capture attention but do not lead to a viewer skipping ads, as 64% skip ads whenever possible but around 40% of alcohol buyers are okay with ads 5-15 seconds long.

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