Hopping Into Fall

With beers like Belgian Triples, Indian Pale Ales, Oatmeal Stouts- one can get lost in the logistical nightmare of creating an individual brand. Dogfish Head and Flying Dog breweries created slogans, “off-centered ales for off-centered people since 1995” and “good people drink good beer”. Fortunately for local Lighthouse Beer and Wine, the hard part is no longer the beer, but bringing individuals together.

This year’s 14^th Annual Lighthouse Beer and Wine Festival will continue uniting breweries with beer-loving consumers- overlooking beautiful Downtown Wilmington. According to NC Beer Guys, more than 120 breweries will be present on October 24. The festival runs from 1pm-5pm, with the option to purchase VIP tickets, allowing for early entry. Paired with craft beer and wine, the event will host local food trucks and live music, featuring Greensboro natives, Holy Ghost Tent. The festival does not stop there! A portion of proceeds are donated to The Carousel Center, “a non-profit organization committed to assisting victims of child abuse, providing critical care services throughout Southeastern North Carolina”. The combined thirteen Beer and Wine Festivals, donated $150,000 to the cause.

Lighthouse takes to social media, outreaching to communities and consumers, past Wrightsville Beach. Promoting the 14^th Annual Festival through the normal social media contenders:Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram– as well as a website. Each outlet allows Lighthouse to reach their consumer base and audience- with obvious overlap. The seamless flow from platform to platform, and from consumer to provider, bolsters the brand immensely. The identity that Lighthouse Beer and Wine has developed, is the result of careful social media management- and dedication to a specific brand image.

Lighthouse Beer and Wine Festival has been at the top of every beer-lover’s fall to-do list for nearly a decade and a half, it has done a great job at remaining relevant with the new ways of integrated marketing. When one explores their social media accounts along with its website and blog, their identity is consistent and tailored to their audience. Lighthouse beer and Wine is very active on social media, especially so on their Instagram account. They share regular updates about:

• New craft beers, wine, and sake
• Information about the festival
• Friendly reminders to purchase festival ticket(s).

Lighthouse promotes the festival within the store itself. It provides the opportunity to walk into the store, purchase a case of beer or bottle of wine and grab a ticket to the festival. How easy is that! 

“The traditional marketing plan can do no more than give us a snapshot of a point in time. It doesn’t help us make the right decisions as we move forward in a complex and constantly changing marketplace” (Shiffman, 2008). The Engagement Theory discusses the importance of moving away from the traditional marketing approach, which only focused on profit of the business, and on toward the bigger picture: building the brand and engaging with your publics. As long as Lighthouse Beer and Wine Festival continues to keep this outlook at the forefront of their marketing strategy, they will remain a trademark of fall in Wilmington! 

Now that you have heard what we have to say, what do you think? Does Lighthouse Beer and Wine reach their fullest potential with their approach to social media and customer interactions? Or does it leave something to be desired?

-Jonathan Callahan, Erin Fouhy, Julia George, Joseph Hines, and Sarah Suggs