BBQ conversations reveal white space opportunity for brands

Latest insight reveals despite the increase in BBQ conversations no brands are owning the space

Latest insight reveals despite the increase in BBQ conversations no brands are owning the space

The latest immediate future report, using data analysed from Brandwatch, looks at the significant rise of ‘BBQ’ and ‘barbecue’ conversations on social media in the UK. What stood out was that across all the BBQ conversations in the last year, brands were mentioned so little, despite the hot summer of 2018. The opportunity is up for grabs for 2019, with brands who can positively be part of the conversation which will then see them build loyalty, advocacy or amplification versus their competitors.

Katy Howell, CEO at immediate future, says “Brands who can feature in the BBQ space should grab the consumer NOW before the heat of the summer is on us. With another Met Office predicted heatwave to hit the UK over the next couple of months, the BBQ space is often overlooked. Embed your brand and you will be tightening the loop on the customer purchase cycle in good time. Marketing teams should consider a summer BBQ campaign that accelerates all the other chat they do on social.”

Across the research, one stand-out theme was that BBQs aren’t just about the food. They are about the event itself. From the conversations evidenced, brand marketers should consider how they tie in the people and the positive emotions we feel and talk about when hosting or attending a BBQ.

Social data analysed using social intelligence tool, Brandwatch, shows that sharing of BBQ posts happens a lot within the BBQ conversation – up 311% YOY – after all we don’t barbecue alone. And over a third of posts are retweeted revealing that the BBQ topic is connecting friends and families (who doesn’t want to be part of that engagement!).

An increase in BBQ conversations is predicted to continue as an upward trend on social. And the real kicker? Conversations start as early as April and ramp up from May. For relevant brands, this is an opportunity to raise awareness and engage with consumers in a seasonal shopping category that currently has no brand owners.

Katy continues: “Joining the BBQ conversation is not just perfect for the traditional food and drinks brands, it also offers a massive growth opportunity for challenger brands and brands looking at adjacency marketing as a revenue opportunity. Awareness of the topics that people actually talking about, versus assumptions, coupled with the emotional element that surrounds the BBQ, will ensure that social media delivers you new customers.”

The report reviews a year’s worth of social data, looking at posts that mention BBQ and it’s available for free at http://po.st/BBQPR

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Want juicy insights, news and more info
Give Katy Howell a call on 020 8547 1830 or katy.howell@immediatefuture.co.uk – oh! And of course, on Twitter @katyhowell

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