The summer months are for socialising and celebrations. Often, all this comes with drinks in hand, so naturally there is a clear opportunity for brands to drive results through increased media investment. We’ve gathered insights through @TheLocal, our consumer research panel, Nielsen, YouGov and more to provide evidence and inspiration for how brands can use OOH in particular to create more awareness – and ultimately sales – this season.

This year is particularly timely – with the opportunities for drink brands heightened – as we embark on a spectacular summer of sport.

The 2024 opportunity

At Ocean, we’re having a bumper summer of sport with UEFA Euro, Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics – plus the Paralympics fast approaching. These present endless ways for brands to engage the UK’s army of fans, from fan zones to sponsorship highlights, results-based creative messaging to medal moments.

In summer 2021, Budweiser’s sponsorship of Euro 2020 saw their sales increase by 18.2%.¹ This summer, the hype around Euro 2024 drove beer sales up by an average of 13% on the days the England men’s team played, compared with the same days the previous week. Low alcohol beer sales also soared by 38% on match days.²

For the fourth year running, earlier this month Ocean Labs hosted The Wimbledon Experience across seven locations. Select tennis highlights were shown in 13 UK cities. Building on the success of our Tokyo 2020 outdoor activation, this year, we’re working with Team GB to bring nine fan zones and, for the first time, six official ParalympicsGB fan zones across the UK. Locations included are Edinburgh’s St James Quarter, Battersea Power Station, Westfield London, and Westfield Stratford City, which together receive a total of over 2m weekly impacts³. This presents a superb opportunity for sponsors and partners to reach sports enthusiasts outside of linear TV or streaming services.

We asked our @TheLocal consumer research panel how they are preparing for Paris 2024 and found that 77% of respondents watched the previous Olympics and Paralympics. No doubt interest this summer will be even greater, considering the Games’ proximity to the UK. With 88% planning to socialise at sports or music events and visit bars and pubs this summer, alcohol brands can combine these opportunities and increase visibility by sponsoring related events, or running special promotions and campaigns.

For example, AB InBev has become an official Olympic Games sponsor until 2028, with their alcohol free beer brand, Corona Cero.⁴ A statement noting that they are “proud to be the first beer sponsor for the Olympics at the Worldwide Olympic Partner level” has garnered attention worldwide. Only the world’s leading brands are considered for this level of sports sponsorship.

This summer of sport has provided a remarkable platform for brands to connect with the UK’s passionate fan base. Budweiser’s previous successful sponsorship of events like the UEFA Euro illustrates the significant impact of strategic partnerships, with the notable increase in sales and of 18.2%._¹

What is the opportunity for alcohol and alcohol free brands?

UK adults often engage in more social drinking during the warmer months, particularly in outdoor settings.⁵ However, the UK now also has a more well rounded variety of alcohol free options to choose from. Gone are the days when abstaining from alcohol meant being limited to drinking water or soft drinks for the entire evening.

This expansion of the category has been researched by Togather, an event booking platform. They found that alcohol free drink demand has skyrocketed by 639% year on year.⁶

According to our @TheLocal survey respondents, 56% of alcohol free drinkers are increasingly on the lookout for different brands and types of drinks – 33% more likely than alcohol drinkers. A further 69% of low/alcohol free drinkers claim not to be brand loyal when it comes to drink preference, compared to 20% of alcohol drinkers. This presents a clear opportunity for alcohol free brands to capture attention and steal share. YouGov data reflects the generational divide on this point, with Gen Z 56% more likely to choose soft drinks as their summer drink preference over anything else, and millennials 21% more likely.⁷

Why OOH?

OOH is highly effective for reaching and influencing potential customers, especially in public and social environments. Nielsen reports that audiences trust OOH ads more than most digital channels⁸, a key factor as trust has risen to the second most important element driving brand profitability.⁹ Our neuroscience research shows that full motion sites, which are most of Ocean screens, enhance memory encoding and emotional impact 2.5 times more than static ads.¹⁰ This is particularly beneficial for engaging diverse audiences, such as sports fans, during major events like the UEFA Euro or the Olympics.

Combining OOH with social media also boosts campaign effectiveness. When first primed by DOOH, memory recall of a campaign increases by 5%, and social media engagement rises by 32%.¹¹ OOH can also be particularly effective for alcohol free brands, as 69% of alcohol free drinkers are not brand loyal, and 33% are more likely to explore different products.¹² Additionally, 40% of shoppers consider OOH the final influence before making a purchase¹³, highlighting the importance of placing ads in high footfall areas near shops. Beyond traditional screens, OOH offers experiential activations such as our summer of sport fan zones, which can engage highly relevant audiences in memorable ways. These experiences can boost engagement with brands, especially those unfamiliar to audiences or brands that they aren’t loyal to, such as alcohol free beverages, thereby enhancing brand recognition and potential sales.

¹ Kantar Alcovision Panel | 4 w/e Rolling to 11th July 2021

² Drinks Retailing: UEFA Euro 2024 boosts beer sales – Kantar, July 2024

³ Route, 2024

⁴ Marketing Week, January 2024

⁵ Drinkware Monitor, 2023

⁶ HR News, July 2024

⁷ YouGov Insights 2023  – summer drink preference

⁸ Nielsen 2021 Trust in Advertising study. OOH 2022 data provided separately

⁹ What drives the public’s trust in advertising’ Credos research study 2023 (research agency: Craft)

¹⁰ Ocean Outdoor / Neuro Insight part 3: Appropriation & Amplification: A neuroscience view of full motion in DOOH, 2017

¹¹ Ocean Outdoor / Neuro Insight part 5: The Vital Ingredient, 2023

¹² @TheLocal consumer panel July 2024 – Ocean Outdoor

¹³ Outsmart Out of Home Ltd, 2011

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