Good taste and notable presentation – important factors to consider both when whipping up a dish, and when constructing a marketing campaign in the food and beverage industry. Marketers have reached new heights when it comes to creating engaging, memorable food and beverage campaigns, and the best of the best aren’t just selling products – they’re crafting experiences.
To kick off 2024, we are reflecting on some of the most memorable food and beverage marketing campaigns from 2023. From immersive storytelling to interactive social media techniques, these campaigns set a new standard in marketing and made a definitive mark on 2023. If you’re interested in learning more about how you can elevate your food & beverage marketing, subscribe to our newsletter to receive industry insights, case studies, and more.
Martha Stewart’s “DIY January” with Tito’s
To kick off 2023, Tito’s Handmade Vodka capitalized on the annual “Dry January” trend, a popular challenge where participants aim to avoid drinking alcohol for the entire first month of the year. Partnering with Martha Stewart, Tito’s re-imagined the nature of the trend and launched “DIY January.” The campaign presented multiple ways Tito’s customers can put their vodka to use while successfully participating in Dry January, such as making pasta sauce, creating a cleaning spray, watering plants and more. Tito’s even sold a DIY January Kit, containing multiple bottle topper parts for DIY ideas.
Relatable, funny and relevant, this campaign hit all the right marks. For an alcohol company to leverage Dry January – a trend that essentially revolves around people avoiding their product – was an impressive move. It was timely and light-hearted, but also offered up some valuable tips for people who were genuinely trying to step away from drinking for the month. Plus, Martha Stewart, a public figure known for her DIY talents and abilities in the kitchen, was just the right choice to make this campaign soar. It didn’t come across as a random celebrity endorsement reliant on star power, but rather a fun, collaborative moment that engaged Martha, Tito’s and their audiences.
McDonald’s and The Grimace Shake
McDonald’s spent a significant amount of time in the spotlight this year due to the Grimace Shake. As Grimace’s birthday approached, McDonald’s decided to re-embrace the old character by publicly celebrating; they released merchandise, video games and, of course, a new drink called the Grimace Shake.
The campaign targeted the younger generation, creating an unavoidable social media buzz that introduced them to the character who they may not yet have heard of. Grimace’s chaotic and fun vibe interested the younger consumers, and they began creating TikToks and memes revolving around the character and his drink. The Grimace Shake was a viral sensation that demonstrated the power of user-generated content and allowed McDonald’s new product to remain in the limelight in an impactful and interactive way.
Coca-Cola’s “Create Real Magic” Contest
The use of AI exploded in 2023, and became more mainstream as users took advantage of its accessibility. Coca-Cola utilized the public’s interest in AI tools and created its “Create Real Magic” contest in a partnership with Open AI and Bain & Company. The contest ran for a few months in 2023 and encouraged users to create AI art on the “Create Real Magic” website. The winning submissions received the chance for their art to be featured on a Coca-Cola billboard in New York City’s Times Square and London’s Piccadilly Circus.
This was one of the most engaging and innovative marketing campaigns of the year. Coca-Cola hopped on a massive trend and intercepted attention from those intrigued by AI’s newfound relevancy. Plus, it led to many consumers creating art centered around the brand’s name, logo and identity, a form of free advertising for Coca-Cola.
Ice Spice and Ben Affleck for Dunkin’
Another memorable celebrity brand campaign of 2023 was the Dunkin’ campaign featuring Ice Spice and Ben Affleck. Ice Spice had a transformative year, solidifying herself as a successful rapper and even scoring multiple Grammy nominations, including one for Best New Artist. However, she wasn’t the perfect fit just because of her star power. The rapper’s fans are nicknamed “the Munchkins,” as one of her very first hits is titled “Munch (Feelin’ U).”
Dunkin’ had the genius idea of partnering with her for her very own “Ice Spice Munchkins Drink” during the fall season, when consumers are going crazy for anything pumpkin *spice* flavored. The ties back to the rapper’s name, fans and hit song made this collaboration one that made sense, had a story and felt authentic.
To announce the “Ice Spice Munchkin Drink,” Dunkin’ launched a commercial with Ice Spice and Ben Affleck, who had already been known as an ambassador for the brand. This elevated the campaign even more – consumers found the odd pairing of Affleck and Ice Spice to be endearing, as the commercial had a fun undertone between the two contrasting figures. It went viral and was reposted all over social media. This campaign was one of the biggest hits and most viral moments of food and beverage marketing of 2023.
Buffalo Wild Wings’ “Seemingly Ranch” Inspired Condiments
Buffalo Wild Wings set another great example on how marketers can capitalize off trends and get themselves involved in the conversation. Almost everyone has been following the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce romance, and fans and media alike have been snapping photos of her at NFL games. When a viral tweet shared that Swift was eating chicken nuggets dipped in “seemingly ranch” at one of Kelce’s games, it became a lighthearted meme as people poked fun over the world’s obsession with the singer.
Many brands made jokes about the meme and the new “seemingly ranch” trend, but Buffalo Wild Wings took things a step further. The restaurant chain used the opportunity to market its choice of condiments by putting a “seemingly ranch” spin on all the sauces. Some examples include: “Possibly” Bleu Cheese, “Might Be” Asian Zing and “I Think This Is” Buffalo. This was a great way for Buffalo Wild Wings to appeal to a viral internet trend (and Swift’s hyper-supportive fandom in general) while marketing the company’s own products and getting its name into the conversation.
Taylor Swift took over 2023 in general and Buffalo Wild Wings’ decision to incorporate her stardom into a marketing tactic in a cohesive way was smart, relevant and memorable.
Launch Your Dream Food & Beverage Marketing Campaign
While all of these campaigns found different ways to appeal to audiences and attract them to their products, they all focused on authenticity, creating memorable moments, and connecting deeply with their customers. The food and beverage industry has always been competitive, so keeping content engaging and relevant is a necessity for brands across the field.
We’ve seen firsthand how food and beverage companies can elevate their brands. With a strong food and beverage public relations strategy, the sky is the limit. If you’re looking to take your brand to the next level in 2024, we’re here to help.