Today in the 21st century the average person checks at least one form of social media within 15 minutes of waking up in the morning and there are over 890 million daily users of just Facebook alone. This is why all businesses know that to compete in this highly digital world they must have some form of social media presence.
The merits of an engaged social media account can grow an excellent brand awareness and loyalty very quickly. Something you can see new businesses as well as established goliaths cashing in on. This customer engagement doesn’t stop on facebook of course! Platforms like Instagram and Twitter lead the way in their respective content sharing fields. Twitter has opened a unique level of connectivity with companies, many of which have dedicated employees answering customer queries or even building online fame with clever retorts, like An Garda Siochana lately.
It’s very important for these drinks companies to remember that its “social” media not just billboard advertising. It’s a complicated game where even an underscore in your Twitter handle might mean that you are essentially unsearchable on social media (Like one Goliath of Irish whiskey I can think of). Social media shouldn’t be underestimated and Should be done right.
An extremely confident startup company that is only doing things right, from their whiskeys to their social media engagement has to be Teeling Irish Whiskey.
The Teeling brothers’ new business are clearly VERY aware the benefits that surround an active and engaged social media presence. You wont see any airbrushed studio shots of their whiskey here. All of their engagements have a real element or feel to them. Many are reposts/retweets from their consumers. Everything has the air of absolute brand confidence that just oozes from everything Teeling does but it never feels staged at all.
From an original content point of view they’ve got it right. Their posts don’t feel disconnected and held at arms length that you find with many of the major drinks companies.
But what I believe really sets them apart is their user engagement. Any time that some uses #Teeling or an equivalent you can be sure that their PR department won’t be far behind with a cherry comment hoping that you enjoyed it or marveling at how their product from the heart of Dublin made it all the way to Jamaica. You can be sure that their Twitter department is constantly answering consumer complements and queries and even picking up a cocktail recipe or two.
This might sound like a stupid idea to stick someone in front of a computer all day and answer ramblings by twenty something year olds but it really does work. I can remember receiving my first comment on instagram form Teeling and fan girling stupidly that they liked my review and attempt at an artsy picture of their bottle of small batch. I frantically mulled over my reponse trying desperately not to sound stupid in front of the cool guys from Teeling. As silly as that sounds, that has stuck with me and many more whiskey consumers around the world, they have engaged with.
Another company that is doing social media right is Glendalough Irish Whiskey. They also subscribe to the Teeling method of reposting consumer content to build an air of genuine popularity and market interest, which can be so quickly lost with studio created ad campaigns. One ace up their proverbial sleeve is definitely documenting their travels around the world introducing their brand to new markets. It’s almost like they are bringing us along the journey with their brand ambassadors and you can see the growth and the genuine interest that’s out there for quality whiskey that hails from the Emerald Isle.
Both Teeling and Glendalough are examples of the power of using social media to its fullest. They’re building their followers day by day their brand awareness is growing and excitement is building around these brands.
Check them out and see it for yourself:
Teeling – https://instagram.com/teeling_whiskey/
Glendalough – https://www.facebook.com/GlendaloughDistillery?fref=ts
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