T-cket is a family-run business that has made non-alcoholic and alcohol-free beer for over 20 years. The company intends to enter the UK’s market with a new product: A saffron flavoured low-alcohol beer. The following roadmap shows analyses the market and suggests several strategies to pull the prospective B2C and B2B customers down the sales funnel.
Digital Marketing Roadmap for T-cket
Created by Barmak Bahrehmand
Date: February 2022
Spent time: 24 Hours
Words: 3342
Background
T-cket is a family-run business that has made non-alcoholic and alcohol-free beer for over 20 years.
The company makes non-alcoholic beer that is “fully flavoured, has a distinctive character, is well-balanced and delicious.”
The beer is unadulterated and unpasteurized and made from high-quality natural ingredients.
The product comes in two packagings: Bottles and cans.
UK Beer Market
According to Statistica, Revenue in the Beer segment amounts to US$27,862m in 2022. The market is expected to grow annually by 9.48% (CAGR 2022-2025).
By 2025, 72% of spending and 48% of volume consumption in the Beer segment will be attributable to out-of-home consumption (e.g., in bars and restaurants).
The average volume per person in the Beer segment is expected to amount to 63.63 L in 2022.
Flavoured Beers
Numerous flavoured beers are sold in the UK. There are also numerous articles that recommend which flavoured beer is the best among many others.
Saffron, ginger, lemon and honey, Tequila, and grapefruit, are some of the flavours being used in beer making.
Low alcohol beer
Low alcohol beer is consumed mainly in January as Google Trends show (Figure 1).
Google Trends also shows that compared to five years ago low-alcohol beers have become a bit more popular. But all in all, in recent years there is no significant change.
The Saffron beer
To make the beer, Saffron from Iran, Spain, Afghanistan, and Morocco is used. In their marketing, the companies usually relate saffron to gold because it is very expensive.
This link shows numerous beers that are created with a saffron flavour:
Regarding saffron beer, Google Trends doesn’t have enough data to depict a pattern in the UK, but worldwide, since 2004 the use for “saffron beer” has been stable and no significant growth is being shown.
In the UK, it seems that brewing companies are starting to use saffron in beer making.
The Hush Heath Estate is one of the breweries that produce Saffron beer. The product is called: Jake’s saffron Beer:
Drinksretailingnews.co.uk published an article in November 2018 and claimed that Hush Heath Estate has created the first commercialised saffron beer in the UK.
The 4.8% abv Jake’s Saffron Beer – which is vegan and gluten-free – is a lighter style of lager, which is packaged in dark 33cl bottles, 33cl cans or kegs. The beer is priced at £24 for a case of 12 bottles. (But in sales it is also sold for 12 for 15 Pounds + free delivery) or cans and £85 for a keg.
The beer also comes in cans.
It seems that Jake’s Saffron Beer has not been very successful as there are no tweets about the product in 2021.
Premium against mass consumption
Flavoured beers are usually pricier compared to mass-consumed beer.
The ones that come in cans are usually sold for around 4.40 to 6.80 Pounds per Litre.
Bottled flavoured/premium beers are sold for around 5 Pounds per Litre.
These kinks of beer are also called leisured beer. Companies that create such beers usually claim that they use high-quality material and present a USP (Unique Selling Point).
Saffron as a Flavour
Saffron is well-known to the people in the United Kingdom. According to Google Trends, the term saffron is even more popular than the term turmeric although turmeric is also becoming more popular (Figure 2).
But still, there is also an experimental aspect of saffron. Saffron drinks, saffron bread, and other forms of saffron are appearing in European cuisine. Persians, Pakistanis, Indians, and Spaniards are among people who use saffron in their cuisine.
Also, as the herb is among the most expensive in the world, it bears royalty and affluence.
Although the herb is well-known among the British, as a flavoured drink, it is not very well-known. You can see a curiosity among people when they tweet about flavoured beer with saffron.
Who wants to consume a low-alcohol drink?
People who are cautious about their health and waistline and turn to low alcohol flavoured beer. People also drink these drinks as a thirst-quencher. So, they are after a refreshment without getting drunk.
According to drinkaware.co.uk, if you consume a low-alcohol drink, “in the short term, you’re more likely to get a better night’s sleep; feel fresher in the morning and have a more productive day at work as a result. What’s more, some lighter products are lower in calories, so your waistline will thank you too.
“The increase in demand for lighter, healthier drinks means there’s no shortage of options when it comes to high quality, lower strength wine and beer.
There’s also a growing range of lower alcohol beers on offer, with several citrus-flavoured options.
Who wants to consume a low-alcohol saffron-flavoured beer?
Monitoring of social media channels (Twitter) shows that people who have tried flavoured saffron beer, are all in all, excited about the experience.
On Twitter, people who tried Jake’s saffron beer were a bit excited and some considered it “too sweet.” Some also called it “weird but tasty.”
Some people who feel “experimental” also want to taste the saffron beer. And some people are falling in love with it, as Ann E Lucas has tweeted, “I’m eating nachos but dreaming of saffron beer! I need this in my life asap.”
As social media posts show, flavoured beer is consumed by people who want to experience something different. So, usually, people who are open to change or people who want to experience the world are more interested in such beers. Yet, since the beer has low alcohol and a rounded and smooth taste, it attracts health-conscious people with an edge of softness instead of hardcore individuals who want to, let us say, drive a Harley Davidson.
Aside from people who are cautious about their health and waistline, because of its unique taste, awe-inspiring heritage (How it is made and where it is made) and prime nature (One of the most expensive herbs), we should target people who are health cautious, discoverer and identity seekers who have a touch of good taste and adventure.
Personas
Based on this preliminary research, I have created a few personas that can be targeted in our campaigns.
| Persona Name | Description | Where to find these people? | Digital channels | Hashtags | What is the core message? |
| Food adventurers | They want to be fascinated by exotic new things | New bars, cafes, restaurants, Supermarkets where they sell “exotic” food and beverages | Twitter, and Instagram ads, can go viral because of its uniqueness, Word of mouth (People would recommend it to their friends) | exoticfood adventureseeker adventureseeker lovetotravel | The message should be aspirational and discerning, tasteful, and refined, putting quality before the price. The message should relate the beer with something unique, and distinctive that drinking it will open an unknown world to the drinker. It should relate to people with an exotic taste. It should talk to people who want to taste the exotic world. |
| Food admirers | They want to try delicious and enjoyable food | Pubs, social media, word of mouth | Organic search, Instagram ads, Twitter, TikTok | foodblogger delicious foodie delicacy | The message should convey that the drink is something delicious for people with a thirst for enticing heavenly food. This is how Jake’s beer describes its saffron beer: “The notes of honey act as a balance between bitter and aromatic hops. So, it smoothes the beer. So: Smooth, easy-to-drink lager with honey and tangerine notes. Golden orange with yellow bubbles.” Pairing our beer with food can also relate to food admirers: “It is also recommended that saffron-flavoured beer should be consumed with spicy curries, steamed fish, or apple crumbles.” |
| Iranians | It relates to their roots It is nostalgic | Restaurants, concerts and events, word of mouth, Ealing | Facebook ads | Persian food Iran | – We are conquering the world with our saffron. – Have a taste of your homeland – Drink T-cket, taste Persia |
| Health and waistline conscious Vegans…, Gluten free eaters | People who care about their health and weight. | Vegan cafes, salad bars, healthy food outlets, healthy meal deliveries | Organic search, Twitter, Influencers | Healthyfood healthierchoices Myfitnessjourney weighdayresults | Salute your health with our super healthy low-alcohol saffron beer! Cheers! |
| Lavish and opulent people | As a tool to distinguish themselves For people who want to belong to upper class and affluent section of the society | Events, word of mouth, fancy cosy cafes in Hampstead or Highbury & Islington and Dalston | Instagram ads, Twitter, Influencers | rich luxury richlife richkids instarich luxurydrinks luxurylifestyle premiumdrinks | Drink a beer that has been made with a herb that is more expensive than gold. If you like Persian Caviar, you will like Persian’s saffron beer as well. When beer enters the realm of gourmet This is a Monaco among cities, a Ritz among hotels, and a Burberry among clothes. |
| Identity thirsty | People who want to define themselves by unique clothing, eating, and drinking habits | Cosy cafes, word of mouth | Influencers | selfesteemboost selflove selfvalue confidence selfawareness selfkindness selfworth | This beer is as unique as you are. We call it a self-esteem boost. You can call it a beer that stands out from the crowd. We are beer, but we are different! |
How to sell this beer?
The gathered data less or more shows which aspects we should concentrate.
To begin with, best of all, we should write a positioning statement.
For whom?
For health-conscious people who want to have an exotic lifestyle and embrace new things. They are eager to taste new things. But they don’t kill themselves for it.
For when?
For when you want to relax and have a good time alone or with friends and still treat yourself with something special, unique, and exotic without bringing harm to your health.
For where?
At home, or in a pub, café, or restaurant.
What value?
It has an experimental value/ to some degree it has a social value. Because you can introduce the beer to a friend as a new discovery.
Why and how?
It is healthy (saffron is healthy). It improves self-esteem. It is delicious. It is unique and exotic.
Relative to whom?
Relative to other fruity beers, the taste is royal. Relative to normal beer it is premium.
And the positioning statement most of all can be:
A modem contemporary and progressive drink that roots in the past, for health-conscious people who have an exotic lifestyle, T-cket is the only brand among all low-alcohol fruity beers that delivers an alluring taste because the beer is made of one the most fascinating and glamorous flavours that in the world and it is scientifically proven that boosts the self-esteem.
Some Marketing assumptions…
Below you will find some assumptions that can be tested. I have crafted these assumptions based on the preliminary research that I have conducted and the marketing flair that I have. But still, only when tested we can say whether they work or not.
Targeting unique people
Two studies tested the hypothesis that people with culturally stigmatized and concealable conditions (e.g., gays, epileptics, juvenile delinquents, and incest victims) would be more likely to feel unique than people with culturally valued or conspicuous conditions (e.g., the physically attractive, the intellectually gifted, the obese, and the facially scarred). In Study 1, culturally stigmatized individuals with concealable conditions were least likely to perceive consensus between their personal preferences and those of others. In Study 2, they were most likely to describe themselves as unique.
Based on this study, I assume, to show their uniqueness, such people prefer unique products to mass-consumed products. So, I believe that LGBTQ community can be a target of Tcket beer, as well. And among LGBTQ community, studies show that lesbians drink beer more that other alcoholic beverages. Collaboration with the London pride can be a good idea as well.
The premium aspect
I believe that we should promote this beer as a premium beer. To do that we should have claims that would show that our product is premium. When it comes to ingredients, saffron is a premium herb. But perhaps we could also do something about the barley, hops, and water. Also, packaging should be premium as well. To distinguish ourselves from mass-consumed beers, we should use packaging that distinguishes us from mass-consumed beers. So, perhaps we should use bottles that are shorter, taller, and thicker. Also, colour-wise, the colour should be different from mass-consumed beer. (Saffron is red, orange, and yellow and its flower is purple. We can play with these colours or choose one or some of them)
You should show what makes your beer a premium beer. You should show how the brewing process is different from competitors
We should aim for High quality, high price, and high visibility.
We should show that our beer has these characteristics:
- Family brewed
- Only a limited quantity is available (Perhaps we could say that we are the smallest brewery in England. When it comes to food, small is good.)
- Saffron comes from Iran (You could claim that the saffron is among the best in the world)
- Production characteristics: Unadulterated, Unpasteurized
- It is light and delicious with soft notes of honey
- It has a higher price tag compared to mass-consumed beer because it is premium
- We should emphasise its premium quality
- In no way it should look cheap
- We need to try to get a share from the high-end beer market
- Pleasant aroma and well-balanced taste – emphasis on brands premium quality.
- something “strikingly, excitingly, or mysteriously different.
Virality
I believe because of the experimental aspect, T-cket can go viral. And at least people can recommend it to their friends. So, I believe Twitter can be a good place to talk about saffron beer. Also, influencers would be willing to showcase it. Because it is unique and new and newsworthy. Of course, they will charge you for doing that.
Vegans and gluten-free consumers
I believe it is good to target vegans and gluten-free consumers as well. Because nowadays a big market is forming around these personas.
Strategy
Based on the gathered information and assumptions, I have crafted a few strategies to target two personas.
Persona: Food adventurer
| Campaign Stage | Strategy | Tactic | Kpi |
| Reach (Brand awareness) | Show how exotic the beer is | Tweet twice a week about the exotic taste of the beer and saffron, and retweet testimonials and other people’s tweets about saffron and fruity beer. Publish stories and posts on Instagram about the product and its uniqueness Have influencers (Perhaps adventure influencers) try the beer and talk about it. Publish content about saffron, its use, its popularity, and its use in beverages Publish content about drinking low-alcohol beverages and its benefits Publish content about tasting exotic food. Publish content about how food can define what you are. Tell stories about saffron and saffron drinks. Try to tell the story of saffron and its roots in different countries. Mention stories about saffron from literature, music, and movies, … Create an article and write about the 10 best low-alcoholic fruity beers. Cold call restaurants, cafes, pubs, pop-up restaurants, event organisers, … | |
| Show how delicious the beer is | Write a review about the taste yourself and publish it on social channels. Publish testimonials on Instagram. Have a food critic review the beer and publish it. Go to pubs, have bartenders behind the counter taste the beer and give you feedback. For an incentive (A Keg of beer) record their review. | ||
| Interaction | How to involve prospect buyers | Organise meet-up events in a pub or collaborate with people who have pop-up restaurants with exotic food on their menu and have people taste your beer. Invite people to your brewery. Instagram and ask talkative questions such as: What makes an exotic beer? You can also conduct polls: Ask the follower whether they like flavoured beer compared to non-flavoured beer. Draw weekly competitions and ask people to tell a story about something exotic that they have done in the comments and send one pack of beer each week to one of them. Send samples to call restaurants, cafes, pubs, pop-up restaurants, and event organisers and ask them for reviews. | |
| Conversion | Persuade to buy by discount offering | Offer coupons Offer free beer: Buy six, get six free. Offer coupons to people and tell them to give the coupons to their friends Discount the wine based on events: – London Pride – King’s day – 27 April – Big Rugby banquet – 21 Feb 2022 – Portobello Vegan Night market – 9 March 2022 – London wing fest 16-17 July 2022 | |
| Engagement (Customer retention | Use a loyalty programme. | Send a six-pack for free after every 10 purchases. |
Persona: Food admirers
| Campaign Stage | Strategy | Tactic | Kpi |
| Show how delicious the beer is | Write a review about the taste yourself and publish it on social channels. Publish testimonials on Instagram. Have a food critic review the beer and publish it. Go to pubs, have bartenders behind the counter taste the beer and give you feedback. For an incentive (A Keg of beer) record their review. | ||
| Involve prospective buyers | Organise meet-up events in a pub or collaborate with people who have pop-up restaurants with delicious food on their menu and have people taste your beer. Invite people to your brewery. Instagram and ask talkative questions such as: What is the most delicious experience that you have had with saffron? Send samples to restaurants, cafes, pubs, pop-up restaurants, and event organisers and ask them for reviews. | ||
| Conversion | Generate sales by discount offering | Offer coupons Offer free beer: Buy six, get six free. Offer coupons to people and tell them to give the coupons to their friends. Track them on different websites using Facebook and Instagram tracking tools and offer them discounts. | |
| Engagement (Customer retention) | Retain the customers | Use a loyalty programme. Send them food pairing suggestions with saffron beer. | |
Summing Up
T-cket has the potential to sell in the United Kingdom. The whole operation should align with the brand positioning to create a suitable brand identity in the minds of consumers.
For now, the website does not resonate with the brand positioning nor does the Instagram page. Also, the name “T-cket” is hard to figure out and pronounce when encountered for the first time. Perhaps, we should show the logo to different people and see whether they can read it instantly. If not we need to change it.
The brand story “T-cket to cloud nine” (A feeling of well-being or elation) resonates with the brand positioning. But it is narrated very poorly and doesn’t convey the message. We need to create more relevant content around the concept.
As the brand intends to sell to businesses, we suggest that you also start cold-calling or cold-visiting bars, restaurants, cafes, and pop-up restaurants.