Heineken takes the lead as the top alcohol beverage brand on TotalSocial, according to a new analysis from Engagement Labs. The exceptional performance of the brand classifies it as the category’s only “Conversation Commander,” which means the brand performs above average both offline and online.
Heineken boasts extremely strong sentiment scores both offline and online that lift it above the category average, even though it is not the most talked about brand. Some of its peers, such as Budweiser and Bud Light generate a larger volume of conversations. Heineken’s strong performance can be attributed to its exceptional sentiment scores which reflect its ability to connect with its customers, Engagement Labs said.
In addition, its marketing gets people talking, especially in offline conversations. For example, the brand’s recent ad campaign, “Worlds Apart,” encouraged people to participate in conversations about hot-button, controversial topics.
As a whole, the ranking of the top alcohol beverages is dominated by beer brands, which earn four out of the top five spots. The only spirits brand to make it into the top five is Jack Daniels, ranked second in the category. Jack Daniels’ performance is generally better in offline, or word of mouth conversations as compared to conversations happening about the brand on social media channels. Last year, the brand marked its 150th anniversary and celebrated it with an engaging marketing campaign that installed “pop-up distillery experiences,” which further encouraged fans to partake in an authentic conversation about its tradition and heritage.
“Beer brands are historically some of the most aggressive marketers,” said Ed Keller, CEO of Engagement Labs. “Not only do they create ‘talk worthy’ campaigns, they spend a lot on media to ensure their target audience is exposed to their messages and motivated to talk about them. It appears, for many of the brands on our list, this strategy is paying off. Consumers are talking! However, other types of beverages in this category are not following suit.”
Keller continued, “The alcohol beverage industry as a whole is built around a culture of sharing and encourages its customers to engage with others in a social environment — which presents a clear opportunity for brands to engage with its fans and facilitate more meaningful conversations that result in improved sales and brand recognition.”
In contrast to strong performers such as Heineken and Jack Daniels, the analysis finds that Corona, ranked fifth in the category, has one of the largest discrepancies between its offline and online TotalSocial scores out of the 500 brands measured.
Corona’s high offline score puts it at the top of the offline list, but its weak online scores hold the brand back and prevent it from doing better in the TotalSocial rankings. This proves that Corona has seen success in connecting its brand with consumers in offline conversations, but lacks in its ability to recreate that same level of buzz and excitement surrounding the brand in conversations happening online.
Engagement Labs classifies brands such as Corona — those that perform considerably better offline than online, or vice versa — as “Social Misfits.” Corona’s status as a Social Misfit underscores a need for the brand to pay closer attention to what drives strong performance in one channel, and apply those lessons to the other to help drive better overall consumer engagement and sales.