8. 1.0 Executive Summary
Promiss Light aims to provide a light, refreshing beer with the
unique promise of being serious beer for serious fun, but without the bitter
taste of your average beer. As a beer specifically engineered for a women
elegant and sophisticated palate, Promiss Light is targeting an essentially
untapped, under-recognized market segment. Drawing on the customer
base of young, educated, and sophisticated women, our brand
encompasses the image of the modern day woman. This is not your
ordinary beer. This is a beer by women for women and a delicious
alternative to the status quo.
This plan seeks to outline the integrated marketing communications
plan and objectives for our first year of business. We have conducted a
series of analyses on the beer industry and environment to situate our
communications plan in an appropriate context. Through extensive social
media communication as well as the promotion and sponsorship of
women’s causes, we hope to create and fortify long-lasting relationships
with our identified target consumers. The corporate image and brand
positioning of Promiss Light reflect our dedication to innovation, creativity,
and dedication to women. Our product offering represents this through
our carefully and specifically engineered product and unique product and
design. Additionally, our inventive yet strategic marketing
communications initiatives maintain our sophisticated yet fun-loving tone,
while effectively promoting our product and brand. Our advertisements,
promotions, and public relations efforts have been carefully crafted and
expertly executed with this in mind. As part of our expansion plan, we will
also explore the option of selling Promiss Light beer through a targeted
communications plan that identifies effective and driven potential
independent retailers. Comprehensive and revolutionary, our consumer
and independent retailer marketing communications plan will facilitate the
achievement of our mission to create a strong brand presence in the market
and form long-lasting connections with our consumers.
~8~
9. 2.0 Promotion Opportunity Analysis
2.1 Competitor Analysis
Overview
Promiss Light has several direct and indirect competitors.
Eagle Rock Brewery and Carlsberg’s Copenhagen are two brands
that have been identified as direct competition, due to factors of
location and similarity of concept. These brands have customized
their brand to target women in the areas of image, taste, and
nutrition. Some of our indirect competitors are Bud Light
Platinum, and Corona Light. These brands that are not directly
developed for women; however, they possess some of our same
attributes that make our brand so distinctive and currently
occupy a large portion of the market segment we wish to target.
Therefore, our main competitors include, but are not limited to
Eagle Rock Brewery, Carlsberg Copenhagen, Bud Light Platinum,
and Corona Light.
~9~
10. 4 P’s Analysis
Competitor Product Price Place Promotion
per
Fluid
Oz.
Eagle Rock Craft $.75 Los Angeles, CA Weekly events
Brewery beer and select areas List-serve
made in in the Western, Specialty Beers
the USA U.S. Taproom
Experience
Forums/Blogs
Carlsberg’s Beer $.22 North/West/East Icon Carlsberg
Copenhagen made in Europe & Asia Brand Promotion
Denmark Plans to go “Champagne of
100% global beers”
within the first sponsor of global
few years events
Bud Light Beer $.12 North America Social Media
Platinum made in (U.S. and Promotions
the USA Canada) T.V. commercials
Corona Beer $.09 Global T.V.
Light made in Photo/Commercial
Mexico Contests
Facebook
Global Awareness
Campaigns
~10~
11. Competitor Summaries
Eagle Rock Brewery
This microbrewery in Los Angeles, California focuses on the
production of original, artisan beers, using quality ingredients.
They have six signature beers which they distribute throughout
Southern California. However, a large portion of their business
takes place in their taproom, which is attached to the
microbrewery. Aside from their beer, Eagle Rock Brewery also
sells apparel, glasses, and gift cards.
However, Eagle Rock Brewery does not sell food. Therefore,
they work in tandem with local food trucks to create promotional
events. This directly supplements their marketing strategy of
targeting men and women of ages 25-50. They refer to their target
market as the “Los Angeles beer community” and market their
product as a social lubricant that unites their customers and target
audience. They also market to women, providing them with a
higher quality beer that is fun and delicious to drink. Also, they
incorporated this into a women’s forum and blog on their
website.
In addition to their website, Eagle Rock Brewery
communicated with their customers by utilizing an email list-
serve/newsletter and weekly events at their taproom, which
incorporates the food truck industry with their daily beer
specials. Their traditional media is limited due to the small
segment of the market in which they inhabit. Ultimately, Eagle
Rock Brewery’s customers are attracted to their commitment to
~11~
12. quality, originality, and independence from the status quo of their
market.
Copenhagen
This is a new beer developed by the Carlsberg group that
will originate out of Denmark. The vision of this particular brand
is to update their image with this product, creating something
that will be appealing to me and women on an international level.
The especially stress the “light and refreshing taste” and stylish
design. Furthermore, they market this product as the new a beer
that can be a replacement for champagne and white wine due to
the elimination of the classic, bitter aftertaste. They key point of
emphasis is its top shelf quality and design.
Their marketing strategies center around the rapport built
with those who are already familiar with Carlsberg’s products,
especially Europe. Furthermore, they spread awareness by being
sponsors of global events, such as the FIFA World Cup and the
Olympics. Additionally, their luminescent color scheme and
bottling is innovative as it stands out from the majority of other
beer products currently on the shelf.
Bud Light Platinum
This new and improved model of the American classic—Bud
Lights—has been engineered for a younger, more modern
demographic. They have triple-filtered this new product so that it
has a smoother taste and finish, designed to target younger
drinkers and female market segments.
~12~
13. Their marketing reflects the new, sleek qualities of their
products. The cobalt blue bottle stands out from other products
while still emanating the classic color scheme and logo of Bud
Light. They also utilize their social media pages on both Facebook
and Twitter and use more traditional media outlets, such as
television commercials.
Corona Light
Corona light is the sister product to the original beer Corona
Extra. This beer aims to maintain the integrity of flavor found in
the original but with a slightly lighter taste and fewer calories. Its
point of origin is Mexico in 1925; however, it is sold in all corners
of the globe.
In addition to occupying a large portion of the global, light
beer market, Corona Light also has an unmistakable symbol and
color scheme very similar to our own. The crown positioned
about the cobalt blue lettering could cause confusion once placed
side by side on the shelf. In addition the brand’s legacy, Corona
Light employs a variety of traditional and nontraditional media.
They employ television commercials and billboards but also
Facebook, Twitter, and their website. Their website is a key player
in developing the marketing a P.R. of their product because they
utilize it as a home base for consumer photo/commercial
competitions and global awareness campaigns.
~13~
14. 2.2 Opportunity Analysis
Market Trends
According to an excerpt from Mintel Reports, written in
2010, concerning beer preferences in the United States, beer
drinkers are twice as likely buy domestic beer, especially beer that
is marketed to highlight its seasonal qualities, original flavors, or
unique origin. It is clear that beer customized for the consumer is
a popular concept.
~14~
15. SWOT Analysis
Positive Negative
Strengths Weaknesses
Targets women--a underutilized target Name, design, and mission of the
I market brand naturally deters male
n consumers
Name identifies the concept of the
t product New brand with currently no
e awareness
Low calorie and added antioxidants
r
align with current trend towards
n healthier food and beverage options
a
Appealing brand, logo, and product
l aesthetics
Opportunities Threats
E
Chance to enter into an Similarity of logo to other alcoholic
x underdeveloped market segment beverages (i.e. Corona and Crown
t Royal)
Ability to expand concept to
e incorporate more brands, flavors, and Liability issues as an alcohol-
r products containing product
n
Sponsorship of causes and Potential for a lot of competition in
a
organizations with a high female the future
l following could increase awareness
and brand loyalty
~15~
18. 2.3 Market Segmentation Analysis
Our primary market segment will target women between
the ages of 21 and 35. This young to middle adult age
demographic is important not only because of being legally
eligible to drink, but also because they will likely be the age range
most often exposed to our marketing mediums. Furthermore,
Mintel Reports found, in 2011, that consumers who believe in
better taste, higher quality beer are adults between the ages of 25
and 34.
Furthermore, psychographic analysis using the VALS
framework and survey tells us that our primary target market
segment is categorized as experiencer/innovator. Experiencers are
individuals who like “cool” things that are in keeping with the
latest trends. They seek excitement, social activities, and active
hobbies. They are enthusiastic about new possibilities and are
therefore prime consumers. Because our market segment is also
characterized by innovation, this speaks to their personalities as
being well-educated, sophisticated, and natural leader with high
self-esteem. They are also active consumers, staying on top of the
latest trends and using material objects to convey their expression
of taste, independence, and personality.
~See Appendix for VALS Survey Results~
~18~
19. 3.0 Corporate Strategies
3.1 Corporate Image Intentions
Promiss is our answer to women’s calls across the United
States and beyond for a new generation of craft beer specifically
satisfying their needs. Our unique beer offers an elegance and
sophistication to such a casual beverage. Our dedication to
continuous innovation of our product will exude a sense of
novelty and loyalty to our customers. The lighter flavor, fewer
calories and smaller portion size are our answer to satisfy the
needs of our customers.
Women will not only enjoy the new great taste, but will
create their own sense of community among themselves in the
effort to bring awareness to women’s issues. We hope to give our
customers the tools to create an intimate bond of a sisterhood
through the common interests that are women-specific. Our aim
is to reach our customers on a heart-to-heart level, involving our
beer not only in their social life, but their private lives, as well.
For prospective business partners, Promiss will represent the
new pioneer of craft beers and bring this industry into modern
day interests of the masses. That is, to be a part of something
greater than themselves. Our partnerships and support of these
issues will bind together new communities, simply through
selling this product in a new light and bringing new meaning to
this industry.
~19~
20. 3.2 Brand Development Strategy
Our craft beer will be called Promiss. This is a feminine
graceful name that captures the essence of our product evoking a
personal connection with our consumer. The first syllable pro
connotes the “professional” demographic that we want to attract,
while the second syllable miss connotes the gender demographic
that we relate to. Not only that, but is pronounced as the word
promise. This is meant to allude to the fact that we are here to
make a promise to those sophisticated, fun-loving, and
professional women who are looking for a new generation of craft
beer.
The Promiss logo consists of a rounded crown framing our
beer brand name Promiss Light and our tag line Our Promise to
Women. We chose a rounded crown to emphasize the femininity
and curves that are so commonly associated with women, as well
as give it a graceful feel. The letters of our brand and tag line are
both in a cursive type of font to give a sophistication and elegance
to the words. The Promiss and tagline appear in a deep purple, of
femininity while exuding a regal air. Thus, the overall color
scheme we chose is purple and gold—the color of royalty. The
purple represents the loyalty, status, and elegance of our
customers. Meanwhile, the gold signifies the richness, wealth,
and trustworthiness of our brand. Together, these elements form
a unique, unbreakable bond.
~See Appendix for Verification of Name with USPTO.Gov~
~20~
21. 3.3 Brand Positioning Strategy
Brand Story
During college, two typical college females were tired of the
typical, boring, “male-oriented” beer. They were ready for
something that actually tasted good and acknowledged a
woman’s palate. It was then the idea of Promiss Light was born.
The two women set out to develop a beer with a lighter flavor,
fewer calories, and a smaller portion size. This was going to be a
beer characterized by the elegance and sophistication of women.
This idea inspired them to add cancer-fighting antioxidants and
donate 1% of their profits to Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the
Domestic Violence Awareness Campaign. This is definitely not
your man’s beer, but he’s going to wish it was.
The Brand Promise
A beer for women by women—the promise of serious beer
for serious fun.
Brand Attributes
Our brand is a light beer for women. At a serving size of 8
fluid ounces, Promiss Light only has 80 calories and powerful,
cancer-fighting antioxidants. Not only is it specifically engineered
to satisfy the female palate, but it is created with women’s
interests in mind. 1% of all our profits go to Susan G. Komen for
the Cure and Domestic Violence Awareness. This is not a
gimmick; it is our Promiss to women.
~21~
22. Brand Tone
The tone of this brand will speak to those that are
intellectual, educated and self-driven. We will speak in terms that
those in the professional sphere will understand, with emphasis
on the needs and wants of women and communicate through
those. Although our target audience may be considered “serious
people” we will definitely add witty, comic twists to our ads to
attract that shift our customers so commonly need, to shut off the
professional and turn on the fun.
Pricing Strategy
Our pricing strategy will be competition based pricing.
However, considering our brand positioning, we want to remain
in the higher end of the beer industry, competing with the craft
beers. Although we may have fewer fluid ounces than our
competitors, our brand is here to represent more than just a beer
brand, we are here to represent greater causes and increase
awareness of breast cancer and domestic violence, both of which
call for a greater intimate connection between brand and buyer.
Our prices will be competitive with that of other home brews and
craft beers such as Eagle Rock shown above.
~22~
23. 3.4 Overview: Distribution Strategy
We will begin with a brewery and taproom in the Orange
County area, focusing on becoming a local favorite. This area
consists of a suburban lifestyle - the lifestyle of family-oriented
woman who are concerned with the healthy lifestyle, hosts
jewelry, Tupperware and TV show parties that are looking for
something new to introduce to their communities to spice up the
routine. This is where Promiss comes in. Something new, exciting,
different, unique and actually made for women, by women.
Our taproom—as a local, community hotspot—will be a spot
for graduate students, friends, coworkers, and dates to come
enjoy the taste of our new brews while spending time together.
Our offerings will be present in newsletters sent out electronically
through email with printable coupons and promotions.
There are several opportunities for expansion that we will
explore. We intend to expand into the San Diego County area and
stretch eastward into Arizona and Nevada. To the north, we plan
on hitting populated areas such as Los Angeles County and San
Francisco/Bay area as well. And with our growing success we
plan on filling the rest of the gaps within Southern California and
looking to expanding eastward.
~23~
24. 3.5 Overview: Corporate Public Relations Strategy
Our goal with PR is to empower employees, make charitable
contributions, sponsor local events, and support community
events. We want to become the familiar, trusting local brand that
is genuinely involved in our customer’s lives and the brand that
truly cares about what is important to them.
To facilitate these feelings we plan on sending out company
newsletters, internal messages, have public relations releases,
keep correspondence with stockholders, annual reports, and
various special events. We want to be a proactive member of the
community and spread the word of our brand and image
recognition.
~24~
25. 4.0 Marketing Management
4.1 Marketing Team Organization
Overall, our marketing management team will reflect our
brand mission and public relations goals of thoroughly and
effectively communicating with and engaging our customer base.
As such, our marketing team will maintain an emphasis on the
key components of our brand and remain consistent throughout
the message of our advertisements. Our marketing team will be
split into four key task forces: creativity and design, social media
specialist, marketing analysts, and a marketing coordinator.
The creativity and design team will be in charge of
formulating advertising and promotional initiatives while also
creating the necessary visuals to match any initiatives. The
creative aspect and the design aspect are purposely in one unit
because at Promiss, we believe it is incredibly important to
maintain a strong and unified brand message at all times. This
combined task force will foster efficient and innovative marketing
strategies. The social media specialist will manage all outlets
through which Promiss electronically connects with target
audiences. This includes our web page, Facebook, and Twitter.
Members of this unit will be charged with continuously updating
all avenues to ensure our customer base is always informed about
upcoming events, innovations and happenings at Promiss. The
market research analyst will monitor trends relevant to the craft
~25~
26. beer industry. This may include a range of subject areas such
competitor updates, new trends, new technologies, etc. This task
force will report to the marketing coordinator to aid the
development of marketing strategies. Finally, the marketing
coordinator will oversee all units, ensuring all teams are on task
and working cohesively.
4.2 Overall IMC Budget Allocations
The total Corporate IMC Budget allotted is $6 million for
consumer and independent retail marketing communications
initiatives. This budget will be dispersed throughout a 12 month
period, funding our integrated marketing communications for
one calendar year. A majority of this budget will be allocated for
consumer marketing initiatives (see section 5.2). As a new
company with low brand awareness, our current priority is to
establish ourselves as a brand and successfully build relationships
with our new target market base. Once we have created a strong
consumer following, we can then focus on business expansion
through independent retailers. The total breakdown of the budget
will reflect these priorities. 80% of the budget will go towards our
consumer marketing initiatives, totaling $4,800,000. The
remaining 20%, $1,200,000, will go towards independent retail
marketing. Within each of these specific segments, specific details
regarding budget allocations can be found in sections 5.2 and 6.3
of our integrated marketing communications plan.
~26~
27. 4.3 Agency Selection
We will not be using an external agency. We plan on using
an In-House advertising agency to help lower costs, give our
company better control of the message that we are trying to
convey, which can be aligned with the brand and other company
communications. Our CEO can also work closely with the
marketing team to make sure this occurs. Consequently, our
members of the marketing department have a better
understanding of our products and mission, being that they are
already deeply involved. We can also more quickly produce
advertisements if needed and allows for greater consistency
because of a lower turnover rate in the creative team.
4.4 Website Strategic Purpose and Utilization
The website is expected to bring the customer into full
contact with our product as much as possible through cyberspace.
We will have our product available for full view and extra snip-its
next to all the unique features we put on our labels and what they
mean to us and our customers. We will also have a section for
customers to post pictures of themselves with our product and/or
comments describing their experience with the product and how
it made them feel or what they feel may improve their experience.
All comments and posting will be on approval settings only so
that we are ultimately controlling the content of the page. This
~27~
28. will allow our customers to connect with the product on a deeper
level by increasing their knowledge of the product and what it’s
all about.
Our website will also serve as a community blog for people
going through anything that our product supports. We also will
have documentation of our involvement in community projects or
sponsored events that people are able to upload their pictures
from or sign up to volunteer or become involved. They may also
message the team with personal endeavors that are close to their
heart so that we may analyze and decide if it’s something we
would like to get involved in—supporting fundraisers or
sponsorships, for example.
~28~
29. 5.0 Integrated Marketing Communication Plan
Objective One: The Consumer
5.1 Consumer Objective Overview
The first objective of our integrated marketing
communications plan is to create marketing strategies that will
foster positive, long-term relationships with our target
consumers. Our marketing initiatives combine carefully designed
advertising campaigns and promotional efforts, bolstering our
public relations image and facilitating the achievement of our
goal.
5.2 Budget to Reach Consumer Objective
The budget to accomplish our consumer marketing
objectives will be 80% of our entire marketing budget of
$6,000,000 for our first calendar year. This will translate to
$4,800,000. As a new company, we want to concentrate our
marketing efforts on initiatives that will establish ourselves as a
strong brand, dedicated to our customer base. We believe that the
most significant part of achieving this mission is to form a strong
connection with our customers. As such, the majority of our first
year marketing budget will be allocated between three marketing
~29~
30. segments for customer outreach: digital media, print media, and
promotions.
Our digital media management will account for a large
portion of our consumer budget, because we have identified it as
the advertising medium which our target market is most often
exposed to. Therefore, we have allocated 30% of our consumer
budget towards our digital media marketing efforts. This totals
$1,440,000 that will go towards our online media marketing,
which includes but is not limited to web advertisements, email
and database marketing, and social media networking. A lot of
our consumer budget will be allocated towards online marketing
because we believe that this is a major way to efficiently and
successfully capture and retain our consumer base.
Secondly, Print media will account for another 25% of our
consumer budget, totaling $1,200,000. Because we are not
utilizing an external marketing agency, we will be designing and
managing all of our print media in house. Such media may
include magazine and news advertisements. Although this may
prove to be expensive, our public relations campaigns,
promotions, and sponsorships will help us to build rapport with a
variety of audiences and get mentioned in news and special
topics pieces.
Lastly, the majority of our consumer marketing budget will
be allocated towards our marketing promotions initiatives. This
45% will total $2,160,000. These promotions include, but are not
~30~
31. limited to, sponsorships and appearances at local festivals or
events. We have allocated the largest portion of our consumer
marketing budget to our promotions because we feel it says the
most about our brand purpose and will impact the largest
number of our target market. More details concerning our specific
promotional efforts will follow in section 5.3.
5.3 IMC Tools
5.3.1 Consumer Websites
As a company dedicated to truly connecting to our
consumer base on a variety of levels, we recognize that the
utilization of Internet is a critical point of interaction. Therefore,
Promiss Light will use several different websites. Our main
website can be found at the URL promisslight.webs.com. This
website is specifically geared toward connecting current and
potential consumers with Promiss Light’s objective, products,
events, location, merchandise, blog, and more. The site has a
sophisticated yet whimsical design, reflecting our commitment to
the women which we represent.
~See Appendix for Domain Name Verification~
We also use a variety of social media websites. Our
Facebook page will be used to foster discussion groups, receive
customer feedback, alert customers to promotions and events,
~31~
32. and provide an interactive online community where our
company and consumers can engage in casual dialogue.
Likewise, our Twitter account will serve a similar purpose of
keeping our customers informed of daily specials and
promotions. Also, it will allow customers to comment on our
products and services in a setting where we can publicly address
and respond to their insights, whether they are positive or
negative.
Website Layouts
Please consult the following two pages and appendices for
images regarding of our website layout and design plans.
~32~
34. 5.3.2 Advertising
Objective
The objective of our integrated marketing communications
plan is to create marketing strategies that will spread awareness
and foster positive, long-term relationships with our target
consumers. Our marketing initiatives combine carefully designed
advertising campaigns and promotional efforts, bolstering our
public relations image, and facilitate the achievement of our goal.
We want to be a valued local favorite that Southern California can
be proud of.
~34~
35. Creative Brief to Reach Customers
We have written a consumer creative brief, synthesizing our
integrated marketing communications objective for our target
market.
~See Appendix for a Full Version of the Consumer Creative Brief~
Advertising Campaign Designs (3)
(1) The design and layout of our first consumer ad campaign
is the relation between play-date tea parties as little girls and
switching roles as the mother figure having their own adult play-
dates. This will be used to show the relationship between the
young girl sisterhood and adult sisterhood. Although time goes
by, we grow up and things become more serious, there is always
that little girl in us that wants to enjoy the company of her close
friends while having a new adult brew.
(2) The design and layout of our second consumer ad
campaign displays a beach scene with a young lady being chased
flirtatiously by a young man. We utilize our tag line and reveal
our beer design in this ad. The colors of the text correspond with
our main colors of purple and gold. This ad is to communicate the
fun, light, care-free enjoyment one can experience when drinking
our product.
(3) The design and layout of the third consumer ad
campaign is set in a bar scene with a woman being gazed over by
~35~
36. men who are interesting in talking to her and what she’s
drinking. The text used in this ad is “This is definitely not your
man’s beer... but he’s going to wish it was.” The reason for this is
to play on the intention of stating in text that the men are
interested in the product, but the picture suggest that these men
are interested in socializing with the woman finding her
desirable, therefore our beer desirable.
5.3.3 Collateral Materials
Packaging
Our packaging has been designed to reflect the quality and
tone of our brand. The clear bottle conveys a sense of honesty and
whimsicality. Meanwhile, the presence of our signature colors of
royal purple and gold, on the label, speaks to our brand’s
sophistication and natural energy. Simultaneously, these colors,
our logo, and our brand name automatically appeal to a female
crowd. The 8 ounce serving size was implemented to keep
women’s lower calorie and volume needs in mind.
The jet black overall color of our six pack carrier
communicates the elegance and class of our brand. The position
of the logo is in the upper middle of all sides to identify who we
are. On the front the tag line used, “A great beer for an even
greater cause” reveals just enough so that it catches peoples
~36~
37. interests and curiosity that they pick up our product and examine
further. Furthermore, they will find on the small sides we will
display the Breast cancer and Domestic violence ribbons so that
they may see and discover our ‘greater cause’ as a brand.
3 Panel Brochure
In addition to our advertisement campaigns, we will create a
brochure that will be distributed at the brewery to customers, as
well as to individuals at Promiss Light sponsored events or
festivals. The brochure will provide a succinct yet thorough
overview of our company, product, services, contact information,
and brand mission.
Pop Display
We made the decision to go with the theme “Beer Royalty”
and went with a classic throne with all the rich details with our
product sitting comfortably in its rightful place - the Queen of
Beers. This is a direct play with Budweiser and their “King of
Beers” theme. This will reveal the feminine position that we are
based off of. While Budweiser focuses on men and what they
stand for, Promiss - the Queen of Beers - will focus on female
characteristics and stand for the women in society.
~37~
38. 5.3.4 Three Consumer Promotion Ideas; rationale, execution,
timing.
Sports Uniforms
We decided to channel the sports arenas and active women
in this category. Many Women Professional Soccer teams’
uniforms are full of sponsor’s logos. We decided to take this
avenue because of the TV publicity and our desire to target active
mothers, active women, and sports fans, as well. After our name
and brand recognition has been established, these women will
recognize and take notice of our familiar brand logo while
grocery shopping or watching their favorite women’s sports
team.
Also, the WNBA have “sponsor games” where they pick one
sponsor to wear on the front of their jerseys in place of their LA
Sparks logo. Similarly, we will also sponsor the women’s
professional soccer leagues—the most popular women’s sport in
the United States—in order to target active women. Sports arenas
are overwhelmed by advertisements that target men, thus a
change in pace with purple and gold with stand out and be
appealing to the female fan bases.
~38~
39. Facebook Post
Another way to get our brand to spread via word-of-mouth
and from friend to friend is to hold a “Facebook Post/Tweet”
competition. It will be twice a year and the person to post the best
Facebook picture, Facebook comment, tweet, or all of the above
about our product will win a party at our brewery, which is
located in Orange County, California. We will also hold other
competitions of the same criteria but the winnings will be
different every time. These prizes will range from discounts, “tell-
a-friend” promotions, to most loyal customer discounts.
Ultimately, through the use of social media, this should help to
spread awareness through and to increase traffic to our brewery
location.
Promiss Girls
We also will utilize promo girls to attend local events at bars,
beer festivals and popular local events. Our biggest platform to
start with will be the Huntington Beach US Open Surfing
Competition. During this competition, numerous brands have
several booths set up on the sand close to the action. Our unique
brand of fewer calories, a smaller serving size, added nutritional
benefits, and appealing image will become a favorite among the
female adults that attend these events.
~39~
40. Because we want to target active women, our Promiss Girls
will wear a more active style bathing suit, similar to that of beach
volleyball uniforms. They have not been designed to arouse, as is
so common regarding such tactics. The uniform bottoms will be
purple and the top will be gold. Our logo will be placed around
the back of the bottom portion, and Promiss Light and “Beer
Royalty” tagline will be in text across the front of the top.
5.3.5 Public Relations
Our Public Relations initiatives will build our brand image
of sophistication for a greater cause. There are several media
outlets we will be contacting to bolster our PR image.
Publications that we will contact about appearing in articles and
published spots include Women’s Health, Modern Brewery Age
Magazine, and Beer West Magazine. We will invite the editors of
these magazines to our grand opening event and offer to send
them a free sample of our product. Hopefully, we will get enough
attention to be featured on Food Network programs or other
television programs. These TV programs will provide invaluable
opportunities to increase positive publicity for Promiss Light. Our
social media pages will also be instrumental in our PR efforts and
thus will be monitored regularly to maintain fluid
communication with our followers. Aside from simply updating
our consumer base about Promiss Light, we will be actively
working to create a dialogue between them and us. We hope to
~40~
41. create opportunities for feedback and collective innovation. These
interactions will be a function of our public relations and also
overlap with several areas of our marketing initiatives.
Another aspect of our public relations image relates to our
business persona. While we want to maintain a positive image
with our customers, we also value maintaining the reputation of
being a reliable business that abides by regulations. California has
several laws related to breweries and alcohol vendors, including
laws that regulate the application process to become a licensed
seller of alcohol and the process of distribution. In accordance
with these regulations, we will be complying will all legal
mandates. As such, our businesses’ PR should be extremely
positive overall.
Crisis Plan
As a brewery and retailer/distributor of alcohol, we
recognize the inherent risks of our industry. Consequently, we
have securities in place to ensure optimal safety for our customers
and our company. In order to minimize liabilities and worst case
scenarios, such as alcohol consumption related accidents, we will
have insurance, public health certification, and a warning posted
in our taproom and on our packaging.
~41~
42. 5.3.6 Sponsorship and Philanthropy Programs
Promiss Light will sponsor a variety of women’s sporting
events. We will be official sponsors of Women’s Professional
Soccer, Women’s Major League Lacrosse, and the WNBA. These
are some of the most commonly player sports by women, that still
manage to receive the least amount of corporate sponsorships.
Our logo can be found on the sleeves of several teams jerseys,
with advertisements in the stadiums and during televised games.
In addition to women’s athletics, Promiss Light will be an
active sponsor of both Susan G. Komen for the Cure and
Domestic Violence Awareness. During the month of October--the
official month for both causes--Promiss Light will give 10% of its
profits to each organization. During the other 11 months of the
year, Promiss Light will donate 1% of its profits to each cause. By
directly associating our brand with these women’s issues of
colossal importance, we simultaneously make the national
community aware of our brand and its commitment to women,
while giving back to the community. These causes are also the
philanthropy of two National Panhellenic sororities: Alpha Chi
Omega (Domestic Violence Awareness) and Zeta Tau Alpha
(Breast Cancer Awareness). We can work in tandem with these
organizations for the same cause and also send representatives
from our brewery to local colleges where we will be able to
spread our messages about female empowerment as well as
healthy drinking habits. This will not only spread awareness of
~42~
43. our brand’s image and promise, but help to enrich our
community and its future. Here at Promiss Light, we firmly
believe that giving truly is getting.
5.3.7 Database Programs
Promiss Light will have an e-mail database program that
mutually benefits our business and our consumers. There will be
links to sign up for the list-serve on all of our sites, receipts, and
cards at the brewery that individuals can fill out. Information will
include the individuals first and last names and e-mail addresses.
Optional information will also include phone numbers and
permanent mailing addresses. People can also select how often
they would like to hear from Promiss Light: weekly, monthly,
seasonally, or annually.
For our internal operations, we will use the gathered
information to promote all of our events and specials. Individuals
who sign up for this program will receive instant updates about
all discounts and coupons via e-mail blasts. They will also receive
a series of exclusive benefits, including a 50% off discount coupon
on their birthdays.
5.4.1 Consumer Media Plan
The mission of our advertising media plan is to efficiently
communicate our brand promise to our target markets while also
creating brand recognition and reliability. After extensive
~43~
44. research, we have constructed a carefully outlined media plan for
the first year of our business. Our advertisements will be divvied
up into three segments: commercial print media, online
advertisements, and promotional media.
During the first year, we hope to saturate the market with
our brand image and product offering by advertising right at the
start of the summer of 2012 across all media sects. Moving
forward, a heavy emphasis of our marketing efforts will occur at
the beginning of each season. The end of December, March, June,
and September mark significant times during the calendar year
for Promiss Light. Firstly, our advertisement will adapt to
highlight various aspects of our product, depending on those
psychographic themes that are best received during each season.
For example, after the New Year we would be more likely to
highlight those aspects of our product that most likely coincide
with women’s New Year’s resolutions, such as the low calorie
benefits. During the summer months, we would be more likely to
emphasize the light, refreshing nature of our beer. Our product’s
advertising will greatly benefit from the utilization of
psychographic data.
The advertising for the three main projects will be planned
according to when the promotions will be released. However, a
majority of our promotional efforts will occur randomly
throughout the year. This is reflected in our media flowchart.
~See Appendix for Consumer Media Flowchart~
~44~
45. Online Media
Our online media will account for $1,440,000 of our
consumer media budget. We have allocated our media spending
this way because our research suggests that our target market is
heavily involved in online interactions daily. According to PEW
Internet Trend Data, 95% of people age 18-29 use the Internet.
After conducting extensive research on Internet user
demographics and site popularity, we have identified four
websites where we will concentrate our advertising initiatives:
Facebook, Twitter, Groupon, Living Social, and Google. These
websites have hundreds of millions of viewers and offer a variety
of advertising techniques. More importantly, these websites
attract our target consumer and are therefore an important
contact point for our brand. It has been estimated, by Facebook
Statistics, that 50% of Facebook users are ages 18-34.
Print Media
Commercial print media will have $1,200,000 dedicated to its
development. We will pay for advertisements in Women’s
Health, Modern Brewery Age Magazine, and Beer West
Magazine. All of these publications are popular print sources our
target audience in California and the Western United States.
~45~
46. Promotional Media
Promotional media will account for the remaining $2,160,000
of our customer media budget. This money will mainly be
dedicated to sponsoring women’s professional athletics. There
will also be some costs associated with our Facebook/Twitter
contest and support of Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence
Awareness. However, hopefully this promotion will ultimately
benefit our company in the form of increased awareness and
sales.
5.5 Consumer Media Plan Evaluation
As a company dedicated to women and the constant
innovation and improvement of our brand, we strongly believe in
the significance of consumer feedback. For surface level
evaluation, we will assess ourselves as a company through sales
and return on investment analysis. However, to thoroughly
evaluate our customer’s satisfaction rates, we will be conducting
two surveys—one for our customers and one for our employees.
Our customer survey will be distributed through our database
program to all those registered in our database. To encourage our
customers to complete and return the survey, we will be offering
a coupon for 75% off a flight of our craft beer in exchange for a
completed survey. The customer must simply record the
completed survey confirmation code upon finishing the survey,
~46~
47. and provide it to the bartender at our brewery upon point of
purchase. To reduce potential bias resulting from this
proposition, in our survey e-mail we will insert a clause urging
our customers to be as open and honest as possible.
Our employee survey will be distributed to all employees
working at the brewery and taproom who interact with
consumers daily. The employee survey is not an employee
satisfaction survey. It is a survey that evaluates our consumers, as
well as their interaction with our product, through the eyes of
those Promiss Light representatives that interact with our
consumers on a daily basis. This second survey provides us with
further insight as to how we can maximize positive feedback and
referrals, while minimizing any negative references. This is all in
a cohesive effort to improve our brand and consumer experience.
~See Appendix for Surveys~
~47~
48. 6.0 Integrated Marketing Communication Plan
Objective Two: Independent Retailers
6.1 Independent Retail Objective Overview
Our second integrated marketing objective will target
potential independent retailers, such as beer and liquor stores and
bars. Our overall goal is to inform retailers in the industry about
our offerings and connect with the specifically targeted retailers.
There are several aspects of our brand that we believe will be
attractive to our potential future independent retailers. We offer a
product that targets an untapped market with an original and
distinctive product, message, taste, and appearance. Furthermore,
we offer the legitimacy and popularity of our brand name.
6.2 Independent Retailer Communications Objective Overview
Our second integrated marketing objective will target
potential independent retailers. Our overall goal is to inform
these retailers in the industry about our offerings and connect
with specifically targeted retailers. There are several aspects of
our brand that we believe will be attractive to potential future
retailers. We offer a unique concept that targets an untapped
target market. We also offer established connections with others
~48~
49. in the industry and the legitimacy and popularity of our brand
name.
6.3 Budgets to Reach Independent Retailers
The budget to accomplish our independent retail objectives
will be 20% of our overall marketing budget, totaling $1,200,000.
These funds will be used to develop retailer-targeting plans.
Research will be the most significant aspect of finding our target
retailers, so 83% of our budget will be used to conduct market
research by acquiring a digital database program, totaling
$1,000,000. Using this market research database, we will identify
locations of retailers, as well as find retailers that meet our
standards. Based off of the research, the remaining $200,000 (27%)
of our budget to target independent retailers will be used for
advertising, specifically to these individuals.
6.4 IMC Tools
Website Thumbnail
While a majority of our communications plan for accessing
potential independent retailers involves targeted contacting, we
will also have information for interested individuals on our main
website, under the “Services” tab. This portion of the website will
~49~
50. include information regarding our main qualifications, corporate
support provisions, existing locations, and contact information.
~See Appendix for Independent Retailer Thumbnail~
Digital Database Program
Since our independent retail will be a limited operation, we
will have a small database program to collect and organize
prioritized information. Every time someone responds to one of
our inquiry on our website, we will record their contact
information into a digital database. We will rank the retailer
through a series of indicators, including their interest in our
product, qualification, location, and dedication to our causes.
Estimates for acquiring a digital database program is
approximately $1,000,000, making it the most expensive aspect of
our independent retailer marketing communication strategies.
Buzz Marketing Campaign
In order to generate some perceived consumer demand and
buzz in the minds of potential retailers, we will launch a buzz
marketing campaign. We will hire a series of actors to go into
targeted bars and liquor stores and ask to be served Promiss
Light. When they respond that they do not carry this product, the
actor will respond in a disappointed manner and leave the
establishment. Several days later, the process with be repeated
~50~
51. with a new actor. This process will continue until the
establishment contacts us and inquires about our product. Due to
the actors’ salaries and transportation costs, we have allotted a
total of $200,000 to our buss/guerilla marketing campaign.
6.5 Creative Brief
We have also written an independent retailer creative brief,
synthesizing our integrated marketing communications objectives
for our target franchises.
~See Appendix for Creative Brief~
6.6 Public Relations
The goal of our franchise public relations efforts will be to
solidify our brand image of quality, energy, and sophistication.
As part of our public relations efforts, we will attend the
California Beer Festival in October 2012. However, since our
franchise plan revolves around targeted marketing efforts, this
will be our only mainstream event.
6.7 Independent Retailer Media Plan
Our independent retail media plan will reflect our
advertising goal of including both digital and buzz marketing
~51~
52. techniques. For our digital media, we will mainly focus on our
website and social media as the main touch points for retailers.
However, we will not neglect our buzz marketing initiatives.
We will disperse our actors initially within a local, concentrated
area. Eventually, we will expand throughout southern California
and potentially into more of the western United States.
Overall, our independent retail marketing plan will
commence towards the end of the calendar year, after we have
had three quarters to garner brand recognition and legitimacy in
the market.
~See Appendix for Independent Retailer Media Plan/Flowchart~
6.8 Independent Retail Plan Evaluation
Our ultimate goal is to have our retailers positively represent
our brand as well as adequately and accurately convey our
brand’s tone and message. Additionally, a strong relationship
based on mutual benefit is sought after. Therefore, feedback from
our independent retailers is critical. To evaluate our independent
retailer plan, we will conduct two layers of analysis. First, we will
examine the financial statements belonging to our independent
retailers semiannually. Analyzing this information will provide
us with insight about the perception of our brand, as mediated by
these retailers through sales and return on investment analysis.
Second, we will conduct an independent retailer evaluation
~52~
53. survey to gather feedback from these businesses about their
experience as a Promiss Light retailer and representative. This
will provide critical information for future retail plans and
improvements.
~See Appendix for Survey~
~53~
55. Appendices
i. Name Verification
USTPO.gov was consulted to verify the availability of the
company name:
Promiss Light
x___________________________ & x______________________
Sarah E. Hook Taylor K. Allen
Godaddy.com was consulted to verify the availability of our
domain name:
www.promisslight.webs.com
x________________________ & x_______________________
Sarah E. Hook Taylor K. Allen
~55~
78. xii. Consume Creative Brief
Target Audience
Our target audience is primarily women ages 21-35.
Furthermore, our brand targets well-educated, middle-class
women. This generation is characterized by individuals who
utilize the Internet, either as often or more often than print
media, as their primary source for information. They are
technologically savvy, trendy and lead busy, face-paced
lives.
Source of Business
Young adult women are constantly on the go and looking
for the newest up and coming trend that aligns with their
desire to appear sophisticated yet energetic. In terms of the
beer industry, this provides an untapped market segment
because current beers are marketed towards males.
Therefore, the majority of beer products are characterized by
a strong, bitter flavor and gruff design. We hope to edge out
these products by consumers’ attraction to our innovative,
refined, and unique concept that addresses their needs on
multiple levels.
~78~
79. Advertising Objective
Our advertising objective is to create consumer demand for
Promiss Light services.
Key Consumer Benefit
The key consumer benefit of Promiss Light is a quality,
sophisticated product that gives back to its consumers.
Benefit Support
We believe that Promiss Light will be successful because the
market trend of craft beers is on the rise and there is a high
demand for products dedicated to a higher social cause.
Emotional Appeal
The emotional appeal of Promiss Light lies in the feeling of
sophistication, customization, fun, and dedication to a
higher cause that accompanies drinking our product while
helping to promote and sponsor women’s’ causes.
Tonality
The tone of Promiss Light is modern, trendy, and energetic.
~79~
80. Mandatory Elements
We discuss maintaining quality of our ingredients, safety of
our consumers, and compliance will public health code
policies.
~80~
81. xiii. Franchise Creative Brief
Target Independent Retailer
Our target independent retailers are businesses that have
experience in the beverage industry, specifically bars and
liquor stores.
Source of Business
Beer is one of our nation’s classic beverages and
customization in this industry is one of the up and coming
trends. The popularity of this trend and the desire to stay on
top of coming trends will draw in potential independent
retailers. Interested retailers will specifically want to sell
Promiss Light products because of our unique marketing
strategies and original concept.
Advertising Objective
Our advertising objective is to identify interested and
qualified future independent retailers.
Key Independent Retail Benefit
~81~
82. The key benefit of being an independent retailer of Promiss
Light is the acquisition of a unique product that attracts an
untapped market segment, as well as connections to an
established company’s marketing strategies and support.
Benefit Support
We believe that Promiss Light will have success attracting
independent retailers because of the lack of competition in
this particular market and the low fiscal investment
required.
Emotional Appeal
For potential independent retailers, the emotional appeal of
Promiss Light lies in the feeling of being a part of something
new, energetic, and philanthropic. It is the intersection of
creativity, sophistication, and goodwill.
Mandatory Elements
We discuss retail restrictions and that regulations may vary
from state to state.
~82~
83. xiv. Consumer Survey
Personal
1. Where are you from?__________________________
2. What gender do you identify with?______________
3. What year were you born?_______________
4. What is your occupation?________________
Overall Experience
1. How did you first hear about Promiss Light?
___Magazine Advertisement
___News Article
___Online Advertisement
___Facebook
___Twitter
___Friend
___Other
2. What were your expectations when you first heard of
our brand?
3. Have we met these expectations?
~83~
84. 4. Were you satisfied with our product? Why or why not?
5. How many times have you tried our product? ________
6. How do you feel our beer compares to others you
drink?
7. Would you recommend us to a friend?
Yes____ No____ Already have!____
Product
1. Did you feel our beer was a good value for the price?
2. What did you like or not like about the beer?
3. What else would you like us to provide that we do not
already? How can we improve your overall experience?
~84~
85. xv. Employee Survey
1. How would you describe the atmosphere in the
Promiss Light brewery and taproom during work hours?
2. How would you describe the general mood of
customers when they visit the Promiss Light brewery?
3. What are some common compliments from customers?
4. What are some common complaints given by
customers?
5. What is the best response you’ve heard from a
customer when they try our product?
6. Are you ever asked anything you do not know the
answer to? If so, please provide examples.
~85~
86. 7. What would you say the general age range of our
customers is?
8. What gender would you say the majority of our
customers identify with?
~86~
87. xvi. Independent Retail Survey
1. How would you describe your overall experience as a
retailer of Promiss Light?
2. What are some of the positive aspects of this association
with Promiss Light?
3. What are some of the negative aspects of your
association with Promiss Light?
4. Would you like more or less support from Promiss
Light corporate? Why?
5. Do you feel that Promiss Light is beneficial to your
business? Why or why not?
6. Any other comments, questions, or suggestions?
~87~
88. Sarah Hook & Taylor Allen
Promiss Light
Integrated Marketing Communications Plan
2012
~88~
