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Can you explain your offer in one line?
If not, you need a brand manifesto
If you can't, don't panic, it's not a fail.
You need the ideas make manifestos workshop. Snap decisions are made about what a brand is and what it stands for, so your "elevator pitch" is crucial.
Getting to grips with the different cultural and industry nuances between the UK and the US can save time and money.
It can be the difference between making an impact and returning home with nothing.
⇢ find out where your fans are
⇢ seed your product with influential communities that fit
your brand
⇢ access trends and forecasts
⇢ understand local market and audience nuances
⇢ benefit from US best practice and a ready-made footprint
⇢ be introduced to the right professional contacts
CAPABILITIES
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Brand positioning
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Experiential strategy, production & management
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Packaging & sales materials
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Trial & Sampling with influential partners
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Qualitative market research
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Cultural mapping and blueprints
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Presentations and partnership decks
If you don’t know where to start, feel overwhelmed or want to chat about what to expect when launching in the US, book a Brand Hotline.
Want to know which bars are suitable for your brand?
We can help identify bars too.
We know the best 1000+ bars, from high-end cocktails to neighbourhood dives…from California to New York.
OUTPUTS
We’ll create a brand-marketing plan that treats your pricing strategy, product mix, promotions and points of distribution as one aligned ecosystem aligned to the target audience.
From here, we can create additional playbooks to cover various brand marketing initiatives, from social media to events.
Flotsam & Jetsam tips for creating a beverage alcohol marketing plan for the US
01
Focus on the history or story behind your brand to attract target customers.
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Dial up any “British” heritage and know that Americans perceive Britain to be a world leader in design, culture and entertainment.
Focus on the history or story behind your brand to attract target customers.
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Dial up any “British” heritage and know that Americans perceive Britain to be a world leader in design, culture and entertainment.
02
Target key markets first.
The US is giant and best tackled in bite-sized chunks. Prioritise cities that are a good “brand fit” as highly as those that offer good sales opportunities.
Be mindful that New York and LA are not necessarily the best first step.
We can identify cities where you’re more likely to make a win based on the nuances of your brand and intended audience.
—conquer markets one at a time and have a strategic rollout plan.
Target key markets first.
The US is giant and best tackled in bite-sized chunks. Prioritise cities that are a good “brand fit” as highly as those that offer good sales opportunities.
Be mindful that New York and LA are not necessarily the best first step.
We can identify cities where you’re more likely to make a win based on the nuances of your brand and intended audience.
—conquer markets one at a time and have a strategic rollout plan.
03
Define your route to market.
What channels will help you achieve your ambitions, and what are your objectives regarding on/off-premise strategy and trade vs consumer?
Define your route to market.
What channels will help you achieve your ambitions, and what are your objectives regarding on/off-premise strategy and trade vs consumer?
04
Align your marketing plans with US compliance!
Navigating state-by-state laws requires flexible plans that can align with local regulations.
⇢ The US is much stricter than the UK, don’t get caught out!
Align your marketing plans with US compliance!
Navigating state-by-state laws requires flexible plans that can align with local regulations.
⇢ The US is much stricter than the UK, don’t get caught out!
05
Ensure activations can scale.
Have one key brand-building initiative, and ensure it can scale and work across states with multiple personalities and tastes.
Ensure activations can scale.
Have one key brand-building initiative, and ensure it can scale and work across states with multiple personalities and tastes.
06
Find your fans.
Where are they, how do they express themselves, and what resonates with them? We know where and what.
Find your fans.
Where are they, how do they express themselves, and what resonates with them? We know where and what.
07
Use your website and SEO to help US customers and suppliers find you.
Is your website “US-ready”? Fine-tune your SEO to include keywords and answers to local search engine queries.
Use your website and SEO to help US customers and suppliers find you.
Is your website “US-ready”? Fine-tune your SEO to include keywords and answers to local search engine queries.
08
When it comes to doing business, understand what makes Americans tick.
Understand that they are prompt and need to maintain a schedule —you’ll need to meet delivery and completion times or risk losing business.
We can help mentor you through the culture of “doing business” in the US.
When it comes to doing business, understand what makes Americans tick.
Understand that they are prompt and need to maintain a schedule —you’ll need to meet delivery and completion times or risk losing business.
We can help mentor you through the culture of “doing business” in the US.
WORKING TOGETHER
Work begins with an interactive workshop offering the highest quality expertise in a collaborative experience with all key stakeholders.
Over this collaborative session, the workshop will help define, organise and formalise your alcohol beverage marketing plan for the US.
As well as taking a deep dive into the story, idea, culture and point of view behind your brand, we will work our way through the following:
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Product credentials and benefits
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USP and ownable space/competitive space
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PODS and purchase points
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Seasonal opportunities, consumption patterns and contextual dates
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Target audience
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Relevant states, cities and neighbourhoods
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ROI, budget expectations and Where We’ll Win
ACTIVATION
FAQ
ABOUT FLOTSAM & JETSAM
LARRY McGEARTY
Brooklyn
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Founder & Chief Creative Officer of Flotsam & Jetsam
Larry has designed, led, and created award-winning, integrated marketing programs for various brands.
He has led creative, strategy, brand innovation, product development, and package design for domestic and international clients ranging from beverages to fashion, footwear to confections.
He takes pride in providing inspiring creative leadership and a collaborative work environment with his clients.
He has helped shape brands like Heineken, Glenfiddich, Puma, Converse, Diesel, Levi’s, Everlast Boxing, Sailor Jerry’s Rum, Hendricks Gin, Skyy Vodka, Appleton Rum, and Espolòn Tequila.
KEVIN BEYER
Philadelphia
Strategist & Relationship Director at Flotsam & Jetsam
Kevin’s career has focused on creating strategic frameworks for brands, developing activation plans, and overseeing campaign implementation from partnership sourcing to trial & engagement and everything in-between.
His role at Flotsam & Jetsam includes managing the strategic process and relationships with clients, vendors, and partners.
During his career, Kevin has developed strategies, executed campaigns and managed growth
initiatives in both national and international markets for a wide range of clients, including Cointreau, Sailor Jerry Rum, Hendricks Gin, Smirnoff, Puma, Hangar One, Silverpeak Apothecary, Ancho Reyes, and La Colombe.
Kevin also created and ran his brand for five years, Western Grace Brandy and, in 2018, was trained as a qualitative researcher.
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UK
Sarah spent seven years relentlessly roaming the globe for Sailor Jerry Rum to help seed the brand into the culture of 35 countries across three continents. She acquired specialist industry knowledge of seven USA states whilst consulting for 805 Beer and helped VICE Media launch its Old Blue Last Beer in New York and London.
If you’re logistically and financially ready to launch in the US, congrats.
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As the world’s largest economy, the United States is a thriving and growing market.
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Most importantly, it loves goods from the British Isles and the idea of “Britishness”.
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We also speak the same language. Sort of.
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Furthermore, many US markets act as a stepping stone to audiences in other parts of the world, e.g. Miami as the gateway to South America.
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America is the number one export market for UK companies.
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Knowledge of US marketing practices and readymade professional ‘networks’ will be an invaluable asset for you now.