Party-focused holidays, even the unofficial ones, are a huge opportunity for beer and liquor brands to break out their content marketing best.
An unofficial US party holiday, Cinco de Mayo (May 5) is a day that’s come to be seen by Americans of all ethnic backgrounds as “let’s celebrate all things Mexican.” To many, that means tequila, tequila and tequila, and food, and more drinks, and crazy drink mix tie-ins.
It’s also big business. Guinness and Baileys may have St. Patrick’s day, but May 5th is the time to break out the reposado. Tequila sales rose again in 2015, up nearly 9% per The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. As tequila is the drink of choice for Cinco de Mayo festivities, it’s like Christmas in May for some tequila brands.
Why Cinco de Mayo?
Why is it a popular US holiday? In Mexico, depending on the state, Cinco de Mayo isn’t such a big deal. It’s a commemoration of the date the Mexican Army stood up to the French forces in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It’s not a national Mexican holiday, and is celebrated mainly with a parade and such in Puebla.
But in the U.S, it’s a different matter. Due to the surging Hispanic population in the US (Hispanics now make up America’s largest minority group), Cinco de Mayo is certainly on the calendar of many spirits marketers and beer brands as a prime marketing opportunity to reach this fast-growing consumer segment.
Content Marketing for Party People
How can good content marketing play a part in this year’s festivities? It’s a great opportunity for brands to put some fun content marketing ideas into play, and drive leads and sales conversion wins.
Dos Equis is already upping the content stakes with the hashtag #adiosamigo for its farewell to the older gentleman (Jonathan Goldsmith) who plays the Most Interesting Man in the World.
Other liquor brands can make content marketing work, as long as the creative is smart and authentic, doesn’t make light of racial inequality, is true to the brand, and follows social media courtesies. You don’t want to be the liquor brand that tries to hijack #CincodeMayo with pure sales tactics. That’s a turnoff to many consumers, and social media pros, too, but it won’t win your brand any favors.
Instead, use content marketing to give your brand the kind of fun to light up the Internet on May 5th (and beyond). Let’s take a look!
- Develop an app for your brand’s association with Cinco de Mayo: Hispanics are accessing the Internet via mobile devices more often than other segments. If you have the resources to build a Cinco de Mayo app, go for it. If not, consider partnering up with a tequila information app site like Tequila Matchmaker.
- Use bi-lingual content around a product launch: Think of including Spanish translations with English content for any of your product launch materials. Your American Hispanic will appreciate the effort and you’ll gain new fans across the board.
- Partner with a respected food brand: If you’re in the food industry, partner up with a leading Mexican-themed brand. It will boost your cachet on Cinco Di Mayo with respective audiences. Something similar happened in 2012 between Tyson Foods, Tabasco and Jose Cuervo margarita mix under the “Fiesta of Flavor” retail savings promotion.
Brands can work out their content marketing in the run up to the date. For the rest of us, take Cinco de Mayo with a bit of salt and lime, and have yourself a good time!
