We recently hosted a webinar that shed light on the changing marketing trends in the drinks and hospitality industries in the face of COVID-19. Over the last nine months, the hospitality sector has encountered massive changes – unlike any before. This has meant a drastic response in marketing techniques.
We took a deeper look at some of the changes in marketing strategies and industry changes by analysing key audience personas. Here’s what we noted:
Trends in the hospitality sector as a result of the pandemic
Over the height of the pandemic people’s attitudes towards drinking shifted and therefore trends changed. The first lockdown saw an increase in regular, at-home drinking with an increase of 5% in the second quarter of 2020. The audience profiles also showed demographic differences in drinking patterns. For example, men are 9% more like to drink regularly in comparison to their female counterparts. Age also played a part in regular drinking with the baby boomers being more likely to regularly drink over Generation Z.
Increased regular drinking did not necessarily mean that everyone was over-indulging. The drinks industry saw a rise in non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverages over the past year with a particular focus on the first few months of lockdown. This played into the self-betterment trend that saw an increase throughout the peak months of lockdown. The importance on improved health and healthy lifestyle choices was a large trend as people looked to better themselves during the months of lockdown.
Marketing insights from the hospitality sector
The audience analysis allowed us to see how marketers could best be targeting different demographics. Looking at social media in particular there is a stark difference in how Gen X, Millennials and Baby Boomers use social media and what they look for when being targeted by brands and marketers. An example is that millennials prefer to be targeted by personalised products – meanwhile Gen X and Baby Boomers prefer brands that listen to their feedback and are socially responsible.
Traditional platforms such as YouTube and Facebook are best for the older generation, while TikTok and Instagram remain popular amongst the younger generations.
What are consumers looking for in brands?
Consumers across the age demographics are looking for reliability and authenticity from their brands. The younger generations want exclusivity while the older generations look for their voices to be heard and want quality customer service. Lockdown has brought a wave of sourcing local across the age demographics as well. Consumers are looking to support their local businesses to keep them afloat during these difficult times.
As the world continues to adjust to the changes that COVID-19 has brought to our industries, many key aspects of consumer trends and habits remain the same.
For further information on marketing trends and changes in the drinks and hospitality industries and access to the webinar please go to https://1651269.hs-sites.com/alcohol-deck-page.
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