How Drinks Manufacturers Can Take Advantage of Sporting Events

For many fans, alcohol is part of the social occasion of attending or watching a match and consider drinking a vital part of their experience of attending or viewing sporting events.

It is not  uncommon for those watching a match to consume alcohol before, during (if available) and after the game. For many sporting fans, drinking gets underway long before kick-off. In fact, data suggests that spectators often begin their alcohol consumption two to three hours before the game commenced on average (alcohol.org).

 

So why do they drink more?

• For some people, travelling to a sporting event is tied into their holidays, and therefore their attitudes towards alcohol may be more relaxed than during their normal drinking habits.
• ‘You only drink when you’re winning?’ – Not necessarily so. Whilst it’s no surprise that seeing your team win is definitely a cause for celebration and an increase in alcohol consumption as a consequence, the same could be said for fans of losing teams who are looking to drown their sorrows. Although, technically a depressant, alcohol may appeal to suffering fans looking to lift their mood.
• Younger generations are interested in pairing beer (and other beverages) with food. Many brands have recognised this growing trend and have begun to accommodate. Drinks manufacturers are collaborating with food take-away companies to promote their product offerings and take advantage of when prime-time sporting events coincide with meal times.
• Many pubs are also adapting their traditional wet-led business operations to appeal to the younger generation.

 

How can drinks manufactures take advantage of this?

Whilst there is a lot of competition in what is already a heavily saturated market. Due to the varying factors, the need for brands to stand out, appeal and communicate with their consumers is paramount.

And premium packaging is fast becoming the key marketing tool for drinks manufacturers to achieve this. Consequently, we have seen a large increase in demand here at Saxon Packaging for premiumisation and the use of Litho printed packaging.

Remember that brands want to be investing into values and not just make a purchase. Consumers are evermore conscious of their environmental impact and are beginning to choose brands accordingly.

According to Mintel, "78% of consumers agree that brands should work more to make packaging more environmentally friendly. In addition, 59% of millennial shoppers say that environmental responsibility is an important factor in product choice”. We see this information as a valuable opportunity for drinks manufacturers to take advantage on.

With the 2019 IRB Rugby World Cup Japan imminent and Millennials consuming less alcohol, it will be interesting to see if there will be any changes to the traditional alcohol volume sales that we usually see during international sporting events.

The rising popularity of Non & Low-Alcoholic beverages that we have witnessed may disrupt the status quo. Data from the Rugby World Cup 2015 showed that 2.5 million Rugby fans consumed 1.7Litres of beer per person on average!