Part 3 – Don’t Be The Last To The First-Party Party

In case you missed the other articles in this series:
Part 1 – Defining Customer Journeys through Digital
Part 2 – It’s All About Control

First-party data is a vital asset for any brand, and there’s no better way to access it than your own DTC e-commerce site. First-party data collected from the company’s owned sources (including websites, apps, CRMs, and surveys) give companies a better understanding of their customers and the customer’s preferred products.

In addition, leveraging first-party data helps DTC companies increase customer reach and personalize offers so potential customers feel more valued by the company. Spirits brands that take full advantage of these insights into their target customers will enjoy a clear edge over the competition.

It’s Not The Data You Have; It’s What You Do With It

Collecting and leveraging first-party customer data is a great way to gain insights into buyer preferences and tailor products and services accordingly. This data can be gathered during each stage of the buying process, from pre-sales to post-sales, and includes email addresses, locations, social media profiles, and any buying preferences/tendencies the buyer has.

By understanding what buyers are looking for, businesses can better optimize existing offerings or develop new lines of products that will meet their needs. Gathering this first-party data is essential in gaining an insightful overview of customer trends and developing the right strategy for success.

Molson Coors’ BYOD (Bring Your Owned Data) Strategy

The beverage alcohol behemoth Molson Coors is on a quest to acquire boatloads of first-party data from their customers and is doing it with delightfully on-brand swag giveaways. In a recent Ad Age podcast, Global VP of Marketing for Miller, Sofia Colucci, spoke about being upfront about your intentions with your consumers.

“We are clear we want to get to know our consumers better. And we are giving them something valuable. In our case, it’s pretty cool because we can give everything from beer to amazing swag,” said Colucci.

Amazing, indeed. Some recent highlights include Miller Lite’s collab with New Balance for Father’s Day to create Shoezies, a shoe-meets-koozie to keep your beer cold in the most Dad-way possible. To accentuate holiday cheer(s), Miller Lite created Beernaments to give your tree decor a fun upgrade. Miller High Life, not to be outdone, offered Gingerbread Dive Bar Kits for their crafty, DIY-minded consumers.

It’s no mistake that Molson Coors has put so much effort behind these swag giveaways in the name of first-party data collection. With all the data they collect from these campaigns, rest assured it will be used to reach back out with relevant, highly targeted offers that will drive revenue and grow engagement with their brands.

The Cookie-Less Future is Bright

The looming end of the third-party tracking cookie underscores the importance of having a first-party data strategy for your brand. Privacy and security concerns for users are the main reasons Apple has blocked third-party cookies from their Safari browser, and Google plans to do the same with Chrome in 2024.

This paradigm shift might seem daunting but don’t stress about it. For now, first-party cookies are safe, and your spirits brand must leverage browsing data, email marketing lists, and other owned datasets to connect with your audiences. Now is the perfect time for your brand to lean into a more conversational, consenting, and personalized marketing approach.

Is Your Brand Story Being Heard?

DTC brands can create customized experiences tailored to each customer’s needs and preferences by leveraging first-party data. This will enable spirits companies to understand their customers’ wants and needs, as well as to better to create products and services that meet those needs.

Drinkubator is a team of MarTech gurus and digital strategists ready to take your spirits brand to the next level. Our holistic digital strategy approach focuses on delivering the results that matter, focusing on growing your brand’s enterprise value. We’re eager to learn about your brand and how we can craft your next killer campaign together. So contact us today, and let’s get started!