Newsletter #4 | Did you know…?

Creative marketing in a small space

Beverage coasters, which are often underestimated and seen as nothing more than a way to protect tables, are instead an ideal way to take advantage of a wide range of targeted marketing opportunities. In fact, one of their most obvious strengths as an ad space is their direct connection to consumers: While a guest is comfortably enjoying their drink, their beverage coaster will be there right in front of their eyes – quite simply, this makes for the perfect opportunity to communicate ongoing campaigns, new products, or new services directly to target audiences.

What this ultimately means is that creative approaches and strategic integration can turn beverage coasters into powerful marketing tools that go far beyond just protecting surfaces.

 1. Competitions and interaction
One particularly effective way of using beverage coasters as a marketing tool is to make them part of ongoing competitions. For example, a beverage coaster can feature a QR code that customers can use to visit a website and participate in a competition. This not only generates interaction, but can also increase traffic to your company website while helping maximize customer retention. Needless to say, integrating social media into this strategy is a good idea.

2. Beverage coasters as a game
Another creative approach is turning the beverage coasters themselves into a game. Interactive designs, such as small puzzles or quiz questions printed on the underside of beverage coasters, are just one way in which you can help your guests interact with each other and have fun while waiting for their drinks. This not only helps ensure that people stay at bars and restaurants longer, but is also a great way to boost how your brand is perceived and have these playful and entertaining elements increase customers’ familiarity with your company’s name.

3. A central element at events
Beverage coasters can play a key role at occasions such as large sports events. More specifically, beverage coasters can be designed with a specific motif for public screenings or stadiums while offering the perfect space for your brand-specific messages. And while they are a great way to contribute to the general ambiance, they also serve as mementos, making them the perfect way to ensure that guests remember specific brands for a long time.

4. Recruiting
Another very effective way to use beverage coasters, and yet one that is not as obvious, is as a recruitment platform. As everyone knows, beverage coasters are a mainstay at bars and restaurants, and are sure to be seen by potential employees such as students and entry-level workers. More specifically, your company can use beverage coasters to advertise job opportunities, training offerings, and internship spots and draw attention to itself directly. In fact, this is a particularly effective way to recruit new employees in a targeted manner at the regional level.