On the face of it, they don't seem to have much in common: Instagram and the beverage industry.
One is a hot social media company that lets users take pictures and post them on various social networks. The other is a business that is solidly entrenched in the physical world. Yet, a symbiotic relationship exists. Instagram very much wants real-world brands to endorse it, and beverage brands are always looking for the imprimatur of a hot social media technology.
The pairing of Instagram and Lipton Brisk, a PepsiCo brand, illustrates how this relationship works. Jamal Henderson, senior marketing manager for Brisk, says he hadn't heard of Instagram in late 2010 until he saw fans on Brisk's Facebook Page discussing it. "We just kind of dug into that digital insight," he says.
That epiphany coincided with Instagram's own attempts to cozy up to brands. In January, the company introduced hashtags, which were designed to make it easier for marketers to carry out brand campaigns.
It worked. While Instagram has proven to be a draw for fashion brands especially, some beverage brands have had some success as well. Below are three recent examples of purveyors of soft drinks using Instagram to spread their message. And if it can work for soda and fashion, then Instagram can be a valuable asset for any business.
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