In May 2020, in the heart of the pandemic, Betera was launched. A year in the making, we sold out within 48-hours. Our drinks were recognized by Wirecutter as some of the best non-alcoholic beverages.
I served as the company's co-founder, plus brand and marketing lead. From early brand strategy to its creation to its social presence to broadcast film production to performance marketing, and along with amazing contributors and vendors, I had a hand in it all. It was the most grueling yet rewarding project I've had yet.
This is a collection of just some of the work that's gone into the company and brand.
BRAND
The brand was created by a global team of award-winning creatives, consisting of art directors, an illustrator, and our team at Betera. The first round of branding was completed with a $7,000 budget.
The Betera brand is inspired by European fragrance and beauty product design, with a modern California finish.
APPROACH
The company was started by a veteran of wine industry and a former executive chef (who happens to have a couple of Michelin stars). The two founders, along with me, had a long history of drinking. We were getting older, starting families, and recognized that we needed to take a step back.
Our company's mission was to grow and support a community of like-minded people who are re-evaluating their relationship with alcoholic beverages. We supported people across the entire sobriety spectrum, with optimism, hope, and light-hearted looks at going alcohol-free. We were fighting a stigma that's been created over decades. To do so, we had to make it a little fun.
MARKETING
Due to the pandemic, our restaurant and bar channel was unavailable at launch. The team quickly pivoted to an increased effort on direct-to-consumer sales. Betera was a unique beverage - it's bitter, a bit like a cocktail - and it helps to have someone describing what the experience is like.
To market Betera with trusted, yet remote voices, we partnered with tastemakers, streamers, and social media content creators to taste the product and comment in an authentic way.
One partner was Grammy-winning producer and musician, RAC. He had created a passionate and dedicated community by streaming live concerts on Twitch in the early stages of lockdown. We sponsored his stream beginning in September and again in January, celebrating his 100th stream. For the occasion, we worked with a poster designer to create a limited edition print available to anyone who bought Betera, ultimately selling our entire print run. The sponsorship had immediate returns, and also helped to find customers who stayed with us for months.
Social
Betera maintained an active social presence, including both organic and paid social. We utilized a range of content creators, photo shoots, submitted photos, design, and more to create a specific brand presence.
