Jim Beam: Make That Bottle Alive
A month ago, Jim Beam® released this app called Jim Beam Augmented Reality that allow drinkers to interact with their bottles. The app receives several good reviews and even I, a non-bourbon drinker, enjoyed a little from the interaction experience.
AR packaging can differentiate a spirit brand from its competitors, tell the brand’s story and inform consumers on the product’s tasting notes. Even to non-spirit drinkers. Interactive packaging excites, delights and educates consumers, especially Gen Z, who are tech savvy and show an interest in both brand stories and learning more about spirits (and they are always on social media).
Why oh why?
TBH, I was worried that Jim Beam can have some backfire of this app since, as a Super premium spirit brand, Jim Beam may want to avoid AR packaging as it may dilute the brand’s image. This is something that has already been played by the Australian wine brand 19 Crimes®, which made its mark in the crowded wine market through its AR-enabled packaging. 19 Crimes’ labels feature 18th century British criminals who were sent to Australia as punishment. Using the brand app, the criminal’s mug shots come alive and tell their stories.
Why would a big brand like Jim Beam, a brand of 225 years old, a brand that is one of the top seller of hard liquors, wants to take a bite from the social media thing?
Old Dogs Need to Learn New Tricks
A: “I have no idea, but it’s the perfect weather for drinking bourbon.”
It is not the first time Jim Beam has done this. Plus, the stagnated bourbon industry is kinda pushing Jim Beam to market itself as a newbie — make its way to the younger generation and live longer as a new brand.
Back in 2016, the market had changed since the Apple Watch campaign, with wearables being trumped by AI and Apple being supplanted by Amazon as the ‘it’ tech company thanks to Alexa.
Jim Beam needed to grow and maintain its relevance among millennials by creating a follow-up campaign to top its 2016 Apple Watch, a self-proclaimed ‘drinkable wearable’.
Mimicking standard tech-rollout practice, Jim Beam set an embargo of leading digital outlets to coincide with a release of its spoof AI assistant alcohol decanter.
The result is amazingly well. The Jim Bean online store sold out of its units, priced at $34.99 each, leading to a 1300% increase it site visits.
Brand Connection Prevails
One in five drinkers has reduced their alcohol consumption in the past year, with leading reasons for cutting back including the pursuit of healthier living and a desire to spend less money. — — “ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE DRINKING OCCASIONS US, SEPTEMBER 2019,” Mintel Reports
What’s next when people cut back on drinking and the existing customers are getting older?
FIND YOUR NEW SEGMENT!
Jim Beam AR campaign’s main purpose is to reignite growth and rebuild momentum the brand needed to reconnect with its audience, build affinity and give new cultural relevance to younger generation.
Did it do a good job? Maybe, maybe not. There is still a long way to go to make the brand a symbol of America, to the new era, yet again.
