KeVita, the beverage brand owned by PepsiCo, has used digital sweepstakes as a powerful tool for building consumer engagement.

Megan Robles, KeVita’s senior marketing manager, discussed this subject during a session held at Advertising Week New York 2019.

And she highlighted how the brand – which makes kombucha, probiotic beverages and tonic-based drinks – has utilised its “Drink in Culture” sweepstakes in nuanced ways.

“These giveaways are really crucial as part of our overall brand campaign,” she said. (For more, read WARC’s in-depth report: KeVita leverages power of sweepstakes to drive online and offline connection.)

In fact, the contest is very much an anchor in the marketing calendar: it’s an annual event that feeds directly back to the brand’s “Alive Like You” positioning, which focuses on healthy lifestyles and a spirit of adventure.

KeVita’s main interest lies in reaching an audience that is passionate about healthy living, travel, and compelling experiences – a sweet spot that guides its strategy from crafting TV spots right through to its yearly sweepstakes.

“For KeVita, it's really important that we are staying as authentic to the brand, and we can relate to our consumers,” she explained.

“We first take a look at: What is the brand campaign going to stand for? In this case, it's all based around that thought of exploration, of discovery, adventure, travel.”

Instagram is a natural home for the “Drink in Culture” competition, as it is an established destination for consumers interested in aspirational travel content.

And the prizes for the sweepstakes – ranging from KeVita-themed apparel to bags co-created with travel brands – fit neatly with this agenda.

“The program is all structured around this idea of ‘exploration,’” said Robles. “Exploration is a huge part of KeVita’s DNA, as well as a huge part of our consumer’s DNA.

“So the program is really based around this idea of travel and KeVita at trying to really connect with our consumers on the level of travel.”

Sourced from WARC