By CEO, Australasian Catalogue Association, Kellie Northwood.
The liquor industry is ever-evolving to keep up with consumer demands and with so much variety on the shelves, how are Australians kept aware of the extensive product range and sales in store?
Recent Roy Morgan Research studying the main alcohol buyers in Australia provides a snapshot of the industry revealing consumer habits and attitudes when buying liquor. The study showed the power of catalogues and their ability to capture the attention of specific audience group and boost sales in the competitive sector.
The study found that catalogues are, in fact, the most useful media when purchasing alcohol sitting high above other media channels at 40 per cent, followed by the internet at 29 per cent. Australians are more likely to respond to the tactile experience a catalogue provides which can be read and reread over a period of a few weeks, rather than digital ads which are either not seen or blocked by Ad software. Google states 56 per cent of all digital ads are not seen by humans.
What was once dominated by TV and outdoor media, retailers are using the strength of catalogue marketing to increase engagement and audience awareness.
Supermarket giant ALDI is making its presence known in the liquor sector with the biggest readership and influence over Australian liquor enthusiasts at 79 per cent and it’s all thanks to their frequent catalogue campaigning. ALDI are using catalogues as a platform to inform consumers on best picks and has shown that handpicked product range, along with low prices, are key when enticing main liquor buyers in store.
In response to this, Liquor retailers are stepping up their catalogue marketing to accommodate for all lovers of alcohol through specified approaches based on consumer’s preferences and character traits.
Dan Murphy’s was the first brand to use segmented covers as a new strategy for catalogue marketing. Three editions of the May 2017 Buyer’s guide catalogue were created with each cover featuring a different kind of beverage based on customer preference. On average, 5.3 million people read a liquor catalogue every month and this Buyer’s Guide was successful as it took a step further to capture the consumer’s attention through a touch of personalisation.
Due to the presence of liquor catalogues in the homes of consumers, readers are provided with information on new sales and bestsellers resulting in 85 per cent knowing what they want to buy before entering the store.
Vintage Cellars is tapping into liquor lovers with their ‘Best of 2017’ – an informative catalogue sharing industry updates and best picks among Aussie men. This targeted campaign allowed Vintage Cellars to provide consumers relevant information on a variety of beverages to accommodate for their personal preferences. The catalogue was highly successful with an increase in overall liquor sales and a 15 per cent increase in loyalty members. With a clear intention to drive readers in store, Vintage Cellars’ ‘Best of 2017’ talks to and assists readers on what products to buy. And with strong ROI, it’s no wonder liquor retailers are investing. With 35 per cent of Australians purchasing alcohol after reading a liquor catalogue in one week, the channel is a strong performer.
Catalogues have certainly established themselves as a foundation to leverage from for the liquor industry, whether as a stand-alone marketing tool or part of a multi-channel piece, catalogues have the ability to capture consumers attention like no other platform. The 2017 Roy Morgan Research on the liquor industry clearly demonstrates the importance of catalogue and retailers are taking advantage of everything they have to offer to target specific audience groups in order to increase the consumer’s path to purchase journey.
Sources:
Roy Morgan Research
Australasian Catalogue Association