With new hard seltzers and RTDs launching left and right, it’s getting harder and harder for brands to stand out, especially on the digital shelf. 

In an exclusive interview with Hard Seltzer News, Daniel Rejzner and Clayton Baum of Our Cart offered up some advice to new brands looking to grab consumers’ attention. 

Rejzner, founder and CEO of Our Cart, explained that pulling in customers goes beyond eye-catching packaging.   

“We work primarily with emerging brands, either if they’re independent or if [they’re] established brands that are launching a new product, and it’s definitely extremely hard to get that attention,” Rejzner said.

To tackle this problem, Our Cart designed a solution, called Chop, which is intended to drive awareness and trial, specifically at retail locations. Chop uses receipt capture technology to provide customers with rebate deals that can be redeemed in seconds. The rebates give customers an incentive to try a brand’s new product. 

However, that’s not the only service Our Cart’s receipt capture technology provides.

“As part of the process, there’s also a very — we feel — very valuable byproduct of being able to ask the consumers questions about the product to get feedback, reviews and really to create that kind of bidirectional connection,” said Rejzner. “It’s not only about the consumer discovering the brand, but we feel it’s also about the brand discovering the consumer.” 

In this way, brands can find ways to stand out by communicating with and understanding their customers on a deeper level.

Baum, Head of U.S. Business Development and Sales for Our Cart, explained that brands should work hard to carve out a meaningful point of difference in the market. He further emphasized the value in personalization and premiumization, especially when it comes to hard seltzer and alcoholic RTD brands.  

“[The] personalization/premiumization side isn’t necessarily what you might think when you first hear it,” said Baum. “It’s really an understanding of the consumer audience and how you’re going to make them aware of your point of difference.” 

In the hard seltzer space, premiumization has been key and hard seltzer trends have bolstered the “better for you” alcoholic beverage category as a whole. Prioritizing health and wellness values, lower calories/carbs, lower sugar and lower alcohol content are just some of the trends we’ve seen in the hard seltzer market. Moving away from “unnatural” ingredients and using sustainable production practices are also highly valued in hard seltzer/RTD premiumization. 

Baum stressed that brand messaging is crucial to growth and market visibility.

“Know who your audience is going to be,” said Baum. “Focus on them, but then from the brand messaging — what is that? I’m all-natural. I’m higher quality flavors. I’m lower ABV…I’m the go-to brand in cans.” 

Baum connected these marketing strategies to what Our Cart and Chop can offer emerging brands.

“With our solution, [sic] we have some real key functions around what’s important for a brand to be successful,” said Baum. “That’s good distribution, that’s having a real strong social media digital marketing activation, and that’s having a real strong audience focus…We’re very complementary to helping [brands] within their assets and their digital journey.” 

Baum closed out with some final advice for new brands in the saturated hard seltzer market.

“Invest wisely,” Baum said. “Invest in the things that are going to drive your business, and then focus in on the markets that make sense to drive your point of difference so more and more consumers pick you up.”

Stephanie Meade
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