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McGarrah Jessee - YETI & Shiner

 

BACKGROUND:

This project was given as a 48 hour crash exercise. 

 

With the proliferation of options in today’s market turning products and services that were once commodities (or almost commodities) into specialty offerings, allows for consumers to have more options to choose from than ever before. This crowded marketplace, combined with millennial consumers’ penchant for trying new things, makes it difficult for brands to garner loyalty with this audience. 


PROBLEM:

How can we increase awareness and build brand loyalty by educating millennials on the extended product lines in different territories, and retain customers by making them feel they are evolving with YETI and Shiner as they grow?

 

RESEARCH:

  • Research Goals: 

    • Uncover how millennials perceive these two brands and what drives them to make purchases

    • Determine what leads to each brand's brand loyalty

    • Understand millennials current knowledge of YETI and Shiner and whether they would be willing to try more products in their product mixes

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  • Secondary Research Topics: 

    • Beer consumption among millennials

    • Competing cooler brands

    • Millennial purchasing behaviors

    • Millennials and brand loyalty

    • The two brands themselves

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  • Primary Research: 

    • In-Depth Interviews:

      • ​We Interviewed 12 millennials ages 21-31 in the target market for both products (four female, eight male) 

      • One of the people we interviewed is an influencer for YETI who helped us understand why YETI consumers love their products

    • Local Shiner Event: 

      • We attended a local Shiner event at Doc’s Motorworks on South Congress where they were offering a YETI cooler giveaway

      • Monitored who entered to win the cooler

      • We talked to the Shiner sales manager who coordinated the event to promote Shiner’s new Homespun Cream Ale


KEY FINDINGS & INSIGHTS:

  • Millennials are not aware that both YETI and Shiner are Texas brands

  • Many millennial beer drinkers are not very educated about craft beer and how to determine if a beer is a craft beer

  • Millennials are willing to try new things, but they prefer to take advice from experts and influencers

  • They care about their social status and peer-connectedness

  • Millennials prefer to experience products before they purchase new ones

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Overall, we gained insights into how millennials can use the products these brands offer, today and for years to come.

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Creative Brief 

 

Why Are We Advertising?

To increase awareness and build brand loyalty by educating millennials on the extended product lines in different territories, and to retain customers by making them feel they are evolving with YETI and Shiner as they grow.

 

By increasing awareness and brand loyalty, this will allow for Shiner to stand out in the changing craft beer market and YETI to stand out amongst their look-alike competitors.

 

Who Are We Talking To?

We are talking to millennials aged 21-35 who live healthy, adventurous lifestyles. They shop at REI, Lulu Lemon, Patagonia, Amazon, and Target. They care about social issues, peer-connectedness, are health conscious, and love experiences. While they are educated, they are frustrated that student loan debt is influencing how they live their lives and make purchases. They also enjoy socializing with their friends outdoors and at bars or brunch spots when they have time.

 

What Do They Currently Think?

  • They currently think that Shiner is a Texas beer, but not necessarily a craft beer

  • They currently think Shiner Bock is the original Shiner

  • They think that YETI is expensive and unaffordable in their current lifestyle

  • They want to experience products not just purchase them

 

What Would We Like Them To Think?

  • We would like them to think that both of these products offer unique experiences

  • We want YETI and Shiner to be at the forefront of consumers’ minds

  • We want them to think that these are brands that can grow with them as they age

  • That YETI and Shiner can enhance their lifestyles

 

What Is The Single Most Persuasive Idea We Can Convey?

Evolution of the brands to fit the growth of the consumer's’ life and demands.

 

Why Should They Believe It?

  • Shiner and YETI offer wide product mixes that consumers can turn to for help to satisfy needs for various occasions

  • Both of these brands truly do offer unique experiences through their different product items

  • These brands can fit their current lifestyle and assist them as the consumers mature overtime through the different products that they offer.

 

Are There Any Creative Guidelines?

For Shiner: Keep the Texas feel, fun, and energetic

For YETI: Outdoorsy and adventurous

For Both: Fun, Young, outdoors, relaxing with friends

My Key Contributions: 

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  • Team lead on finding secondary research for this project and I interviewed the Shiner Sales Representative at the local Shiner event.

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  • Conducted all 12 interviews for this project. 

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  • Determined the foundational insights that lead to our strategy ​​and created a timeline to present our strategy to McGarrah Jessee.

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  • Coordinated the flow of information between group members to make sure we met deadlines. 

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  • Helped write and edit the required paper and creative brief.

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