Embracing Digital Marketing

Published April 11, 2014 at 7:52 am

As marketers strive to reach younger markets, some are turning predominantly to digital channels to better reach Millennial audiences who spend more time on the Internet and mobile devices than more traditional channels.

According to a Pew Research study, Millennials are digital natives and strong users of the Internet, linked together by social networking. This presents an opportunity for marketers to reach Millennials where they are spending time sharing content online. Brands that are interested in reaching this audience know that digital is where they have to be, and targeting consumers by creating campaigns that people will find to be worth sharing can go a long way.

In addition to the Internet, Millennials enjoy drinking flavored malt beverages. One company that recognizes the value of the digital space is Mike’s Hard Lemonade, which, according to AdAge, has decided to move its marketing in an entirely digital direction, meaning that the company plans to entirely forego television ads. Mike’s also plans to complete an overhaul of its brand image to have a greater appeal to this audience and compete with other companies making flavored malt beverages.

The company is making updates to its packaging to more accurately reflect that it offers more than just lemonade-flavored beverages. However, brands must be careful when making big image changes. We have discussed how altering your brand’s image can be harmful or helpful depending on timing and concept, as was recently exemplified by what happened when the Olive Garden changed its logo and brand image and the change was ill-received.

With a brand overhaul and proper targeting in the right places, marketers can breathe new life into a brand that has been around for some time and generate more sales.