New marketing and communication strategies that beer brands are using to target consumers.

One of the most important aspects on the beer market is the consumer behavior. "On the beer market, the underlying trend is the following one :"I drink less but I drink better", it happened in the beer market the same evolution as in the wine market." says Phillipe Collinet, Communication Director at Brasseries Kronenbourg. It is translated by a drop of the beer consumption of 30% (in volume) in 30 years. As a result, brands are engaged in a marketing war on more sophisticated and more expensive products. Beer brands became experts in trademark management, "premiumised" and on-line communication. 

Modernization of former products.

Among the last examples of this sophistication, all key players of the French beer market launched new versions of their famous products. Heineken commercialized Pelforth Radler, a low alcoholized lager beer and natural lemon juice-flavored. While Kronenbourg modernized its non-alcoholic beer: the Pure Malt, which is the current leader on non-alcoholic beer market (2 % of the global French beer market).

New premium beers and importance of the packaging

The « drink less but drink better » situation explains the new war between French brewers. On such saturated market, the only way to develop is being more innovative and offering more desirable products.

For that purpose, the brands launched « tendency » beers. This segment targets the young urban trendy adults between 20 and 30 years. Every brand has its own premium beer. 

Skoll - the Scandinavian of BK, Desperados - the beer with tequila-flavored of Heinekein, Corona - the Mexican beer the most sold around the world of AB-Inbev and Ground - the last one of Heineken. All these products have an only purpose: “premiumise” the market.

Then, brands are always giving products higher and higher of range and more and more expensive to the consumers, to improve the turnovers of the brewers whereas the consumption is decreasing. While a bottle of Heineken is sold 2.50 euros the liter, Desperados is 4.50 euros, and Skoll is 3.95 euros.

Innovation, high quality and packaging are therefore the most important marketing efforts focused on. Some examples:

	To celebrate its140 years, Heineken called on So Me to design his new bottle.
	In 2013, Kronenbourg bottles adopt a new dressing. A finer silhouette and blazon highlighted in the center of the bottle.
	Yet in 2013, Brasserie Kronenbourg launched a new brand named Skøll. Its target: 18-30 years.
	The Leffe Ruby, red berries-flavored, embodies the good health of the « special beer » segment, with an annual growth rate of its sales by 50% since 2008.

Online communication has become paramount

Since the Evin’s law, French brands of alcohol are allowed to carry advertising on the Internet. Since then, the beer brands have introduced much online campaign. The objectives are to encourage the popularity of the mark without encouraging too much to alcohol consumption.

Brands have used many possibilities of the Internet: creation of several flash websites, online games, utilization of social media to launch new products and develop consumers’ loyalty (Facebook, YouTube, blogs ...). These various campaigns are immersive, allow interactions with other consumers, and offer to invite friends. So, they are totally participative.

The beer brands understood the benefits that can bring online communication campaigns and use them to get consumers' attention and to transmit a positive image of the brand.

The marketing strategies of beer brands is considerably depending on the consumption habits of their consumers. Therefore, online communication, «trends » beers and modernization of former strong products are the main aspects of the last marketing investments on the beer market.