Beverage Marketers Must Turn these Three Keys to Ignite Sales Success this Season

As summer fades into the rearview and into fall, beverage brands are presented with both a tremendous opportunity and looming uncertainty. While AAA predicted that Memorial Day would be among the busiest holiday travel weekends in two decades with potentially 45 Million Americans on the roadways, and 87% of those travelling by car, the consumer journey doesn’t end as the sun sets on summer. The good news is that the remaining hours of sunshine promise strong beverage demand, even as the economic forecast brought on by looming tariffs adds a layer of complexity for marketers.

OOH is Where the Rubber Meets the Road for Brand Marketers

With potential supply chain disruptions and pricing challenges on the horizon, the column argues for a return to core brand storytelling. The first strategic recommendation? Focus on quality and premium product attributes. Rather than engaging in pricing wars or dwelling on tariff impacts, beverage brands can lean into OOH’s strength in building aspirational, brand-forward campaigns celebrating taste, ingredients and heritage.

In this compelling column, readers are invited to consider how Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising can be a powerful and pragmatic solution. As traditional media sees a seasonal dip, TV viewership drops and digital channels face saturation, OOH thrives during the summer and even into fall. People remain out and about, and strategic placements along highways, near parks, sporting complexes and retail centers offer unmatched visibility. The message is clear: road travel and OOH go hand-in-hand, especially for beverage brands looking to stand out.

Bold Campaigns Captivate Consumers on the Move

Second, the column spotlights the red-hot Ready-to-Drink (RTD) category. From bold launches like Gin & Juice and Buzzballz to the expanding footprint of Surfside and Cutwater, RTDs are thriving and they’re doing it through traditional brand-building. OOH, with its ability to amplify creative packaging and generate mass awareness in high-traffic areas, is tailor-made for capturing the attention of new consumers on the move.

Finally, the piece underscores OOH’s resilience in times of disruption. With economic uncertainty ever-present, beverage marketers need tools that are both reliable and agile. Enter digital OOH: flexible, real-time creative capabilities that allow brands to pivot their messaging quickly. Coupled with data showing OOH’s superior impact on driving online search and social engagement, this strategy isn’t just about visibility, it’s also about measurable performance.

In summary, the column makes a compelling case for beverage brands to prioritize OOH as a resilient, year-round strategy. With the right approach, brands can rise above market volatility and ensure they stay top of mind for thirsty travelers nationwide.