Sector · Alcoholic Beverages
BTL marketingfor beveragestasting and experience
Make the first taste of your brand unforgettable
With alcoholic beverages the decision takes seconds, and almost always right at the shelf. We design tastings and activations that turn that second into a product trial, and that trial into a repeat purchase.
What we do in this sector
How we work
BTL activations in alcoholic beverages: how we work.
Why tastings still sell spirits
Mass-media advertising for alcoholic beverages faces more restrictions every year, and the purchase decision takes seconds: in front of the supermarket shelf or at the bar. That is why product trial is still the most direct BTL marketing tool for spirits. Someone who tries a brand in the right conditions walks away with a concrete reason to choose it next time. The challenge is making sure a tasting does not stop at handing out samples, but ends in sales and repeat purchase.
How we design a beverage activation
Before producing anything we define what has to happen for the activation to count as a success. Everything else is built from there:
- A measurable goal: number of trials, conversion at the point of sale or brand recall.
- A mechanic that does not interrupt the shopping trip: people taste, understand the product and carry on.
- Field staff trained on the product, on service protocol and on responsible drinking.
- Permits and rules for each retail chain and each municipality sorted out before setup.
- Bars, stands and brand materials designed for the channel where the activation runs.
Channels where we activate
We work in modern trade (supermarkets and hypermarkets), in the HORECA channel (bars, restaurants and hotels) and at events, fairs and festivals where the brand is present. Each channel calls for a different mechanic. In a supermarket the tasting supports the purchase decision and the brand ambassador helps close the sale. In a bar the brand experience matters more than the sample. At an event the goal is usually recall and building a database.
What we measure in a tasting
A tasting without measurement is a cost that is hard to defend. In every activation we record the number of trials, units sold during the activation, conversion by shift and by staff member, and consumer feedback on the product. That report makes it clear which locations, time slots and messages worked, and where to invest in the next phase of the campaign.
Responsible drinking and regulations
Liquor tastings are only offered to adults, in controlled servings and within the time and visible-material restrictions each municipality and each chain requires. Compliance is not paperwork: an activation shut down over a badly handled permit costs the brand more than the activation itself.
Experience in the sector
Contraste has produced activations for spirits brands such as Ron Viejo de Caldas and Aguardiente Amarillo. We operate from Medellín and run beverage tastings and BTL activations in Bogotá, Cali, Barranquilla and other cities across Colombia.
Frequently asked
What people
ask us most.
What does a liquor tasting need to be effective?+
Three things: field staff who can actually talk about the product, a mechanic that does not interrupt the shopping trip, and measurement of trials against conversions. Without the third one you never know whether it worked.
Can a liquor brand be activated in any point of sale?+
No. Every chain and every municipality has different rules on alcohol tasting, opening hours and visible material. We handle the permits before the activation goes up.
What does a liquor brand ambassador do?+
They represent the brand at the point of sale: they serve the tasting, explain the product and support the purchase decision at the shelf. At Contraste brand ambassadors are selected by profile, trained on the product and on responsible drinking, and report trials and sales per shift.
In which channels can a liquor tasting be run?+
In modern trade (supermarkets and hypermarkets), in the HORECA channel (bars, restaurants and hotels) and at events, fairs and festivals. Each channel has its own permit rules and a different mechanic, so the activation is designed per channel rather than copied across all of them.
How do you know whether a tasting increased sales?+
By comparing units sold at the location during the activation with a reference period without it, and crossing that with the number of trials. That gives the real conversion of the tasting and the cost per sale, not just how many samples were handed out.
Does Contraste run tastings outside Medellín?+
Yes. The agency is based in Medellín and runs tastings and activations for beverage brands in Bogotá, Cali, Barranquilla and other Colombian cities, with the same field-staff and reporting standard everywhere.
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Book a meeting
Shall we activate your brand in alcoholic beverages?
30 minutes to understand your goal and tell you whether we can help. No corporate deck involved.