L2, an organization that dubs itself as a “think tank for digital innovation,” released an in-depth 50-page report last week ranking and analyzing the digital marketing activities of the world’s top 50 beer brands. L2 looks at “more than 675 data points across four dimensions: Site, Digital Marketing, Social Media, and Mobile.”
Its hypothesis from the research: large brands have a lot to gain by extending messaging from traditional media, especially through Youtube. Small brands have a lot to gain by using no-cost (or low-cost) social media networks for growing a following.
The top 10 brands:
1. Heineken, which has the largest online following of any beer brand, took the top spot in the company’s list. It earned high marks for the cross-platform Skyfall campaign. The brand has more Facebook fans and Youtube views than any other brand on the list.
2. Budweiser made a splash around the Super Bowl, finally launching a Twitter account, though L2 notes that the “lift” from the Clydesdale campaign was shortlived. The brand has a strong following on Facebook.
Big Brands:
T3. Bud Light
T3. Stella Artois
6. Coors Light
T10. Guinness
T10. Miller Lite
Craft/Small Brands:
5. Samuel Adams grabbed a top-five spot. The Boston Beer Company finally started a blog and an official Twitter account last year long after establishing a solid Facebook presence. The website was just revamped as well but only after the report.
7. Sierra Nevada launched a new website in December and stepped up efforts on social media channels last year. It shows with a top-ten ranking.
8. New Belgium was one of the earlier breweries to embrace digital platforms and has been the leader among craft brands in mobile development.
9. Blue Moon used Facebook last year to promote a new beer into its fall mixed pack. That said, the brand still doesn’t have a dedicated Twitter account so a top-ten ranking is surprising.
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You can access a ten-page excerpt of the report here which includes a ranking of the top 50 beer brands. You can also purchase the full 50-page report at that link.
Blue Moon is NOT a craft/small brand, the brand is owned and operated by SABmiller!
Julian, please a) understand the context of the article and brands listed & b) know that Blue Moon is not that much bigger than Samuel Adams. An adjective like “small” is clearly relative.
Except that millercoors IS much much bigger than sam adams.
Many people don’t understand that “craft” and “not craft” reported in the business is defined by the big guys, and it is by style, not size or ownership of the brewery. There are two completely different schools of thought between those that are on the craft side and those that are not
I slipped in referring to New Belgium as a brewery here but this is really about what the companies are doing with these “brands.” It’s less about ranking MillerCoors & more about ranking its various brands.