Rum brands Bacardi and Captain Morgan were the fastest-growing spirits on Instagram last year based on follower growth, according to an analysis of 166 brands by drinks-marketing agency YesMore.
Bacardi’s global Instagram account grew its follower base by 75% to 226,890 in a year that marked the company’s 160th anniversary, while Captain Morgan’s global account reached 12,060 followers—an increase of 63%.
In Captain Morgan’s case, “We believe this was driven mostly by releasing a TV commercial and out-of-home campaign in the summer,” YesMore noted in an analysis of the data.
“It showed how a 360 integrated marketing campaign is effective at growing audience sizes for brands on social media.”
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According to YesMore creative director Dan Hooper, the winning strategies for spirits brands to grow Instagram followers center on what he calls amplification techniques.
“Fully integrated, through-the-line marketing campaigns—especially with a call to action to follow the brand on social media—performed best,” Hooper tells MarketingDaily. “Other forms of amplification came from both brand and influencer partnerships.”
Scotch whisky brand The Famous Grouse recorded the third-fastest Instagram growth in 2022, with a 48% increase in followers to 7,423.
“This global account saw growth almost every time the posted high-quality, animated videos of [the bird] in different scenarios,” YesMore said in its analysis.
No. 4 in follower growth was Gordon’s gin—up 35% to 22,482—in a year in which it posted short, animated graphics for its ready to drink products on its global account.
In fifth place was Smirnoff vodka’s European Instagram account, with follower growth of 29% to 19,505.
In a separate study, social media analytics company Rival IQ found that photo Carousel posts on Instagram “grabbed the highest engagement rates for alcohol brands” last year while videos garnered the lowest.
Top engagement rates by hashtag type for alcohol brands centered on holidays, national days of celebration and seasons, led by #blackfriday, #summertime, #newyear and #memorialday, according to Rival IQ.