In this edition of the Glossy+ Research Briefing, we share insights from our recent report on the field marketing tactics startup brands are employing at large ticketed events to expand a brand’s retail footprint and recognition.
Startups build up brand love with IRL event activations to better position themselves for retail expansion
As the warm summer months have drawn to a close, more startup brands are investing in large ticketed events over public pop-ups this fall. This is according to Glossy+ Research’s report on field marketing tactics. Music festivals, expos and major sports competitions attract thousands of visitors to one central area or venue, and small startup brands with limited reach can present their products and interact with consumers at these locations in the hope of gaining much-needed brand exposure.
For brands like electrolyte drink mix brand Liquid I.V. that have entered grocery, drugstore, convenience and club stores in the past few years, sponsoring events and meeting potential customers at large venues is a key part of their long-term strategies to gain wider retailer distribution.
“Partnerships and events, influencer marketing, these were really critical cornerstones of the marketing DNA, even before retailer doors were available,” said Stacey Andrade-Wells, CMO at Liquid I.V. “That allowed us to generate awareness and consumer demand, such that when we showed up in [retailer] doors, we weren’t having issues with velocity or meeting retailer red lines. We had that brand love already built up ahead of time.”
Liquid I.V. has also turned its attention to large sports events in the past 12 months, kicking off a two-year partnership with Formula One and Crypto.com in March. “Formula One is in the cultural zeitgeist. It’s the intersection of sports, hospitality and entertainment,” Andrade-Wells explained. “Combined with the fact that Formula One drivers are losing eight to 10 pounds of water weight every single race because of the heat inside the vehicle and outside, it is the perfect intersection to build some brand equity and reach fans with a perfect hydration solution.”
Other startup brands like Lucky Energy and Graza are taking creative steps to show up in unexpected moments at venues and events. Both brands face marketing challenges, but for different reasons. In Lucky Energy’s case, the energy drink market is overly saturated, so a primary challenge for the brand is to differentiate itself from the competition. Meanwhile, olive oil is used to prepare foods but is rarely served on its own, therefore Graza needs a food pairing or partner for its activations.
In a recent activation, Graza partnered with ice cream brand Talenti to present at the U.S. Open from an ice cream truck. This marked the first time the brand tested its own experiential concept at a major sporting event in partnership with another brand. According to Kali Shulklapper, director of marketing at Graza, the focus for now is “integrating our product into what other food vendors are doing at these festivals and events.”
“What we have done, and will continue to do, is provide olive oil to various vendors at food festivals, and big food-focused events, sometimes at concerts,” Shulklapper said. “We’ve worked with ice cream vendors at Outside Lands and Coachella to make custom menu items like a scoop of vanilla ice cream paired with a drizzle of Graza olive oil.”
