Influencer Marketing and The Alcohol Industry

Influencer marketing continues to be a tool that companies utilize to add value to their brands. This thesis explores the impact that influencer marketing has within the alcohol industry. This was done by conducting secondary research that highlights the size of the alcohol industry, the rules and regulations that apply to alcohol marketing, the power of social media and consumer behavior, and the effectiveness of influencer marketing. From this research, I compile a set of industry best practices and offer a series of recommendations for smaller brands to take into consideration when using influencer marketing. I believe that my research-based recommendations of partnering with local influencers to create genuine connections with niche audiences, creating branded hashtags for marketing purposes, and capitalizing on current social media market trends allows for niche alcohol brands to implement influencer marketing in a way that best fits the brand and the people it serves.