Exploring frontier beer markets 🍺🍺

Audience deep dive
Portfolio strategy


A global beer brand wants to boost its presence in Laos and Timor Leste. These industry 'frontier markets' have high potential but are little understood, with minimal formal marketing efforts so far.


Brief
  • Understand the local drinking culture
  • Assess attitudes towards various alcoholic drink categories and brands
  • Develop a targeting and positioning strategy for the client’s beer brand portfolio
       
Approach
  • Drinking diaryAsked people to document their drinking moments over a couple of weeks
  • Hangouts Joined & observed consumer’s drinking moments
  • Interviews & FGDsDiscussed people’s experience with different alcoholic beverage types and brands
  • Expert InterviewsSpoke to academics & drinks-related entrepreneurs to gain diverse perspectives
  • Cultural AnalysisInvestigated how societal changes shape people’s relationship with beer
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Hangouts allow observation of respondents’ behavior, interactions, and rituals in a natural setting. Photo: Personal archive


Outcome
  • Mapping of all drinking occasions on a quadrant, with axes representing emotional needs
  • Analysis of each occasion by timing, participants, location, preferred drinks, mood, and emotional needs
  • Brand reccomendation for each occasion with brief positioning suggestions