Proposal and Marketing Plan Prepared By: Madeline Bergan, Marigrace Carney, Lizzie Woidat, Nino D’Acquisto, Tj Edwards, & Bieke De Bruijn

SINKER’S SODA AGENCY

PROPOSAL AND MARKETING PLAN PREPARED BY: MADELINE BERGAN, MARIGRACE CARNEY, LIZZIE WOIDAT, NINO D’ACQUISTO, TJ EDWARDS, & BIEKE DE BRUIJN

NOVEMEBER, 30TH 2016

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

MARKET SUMMARY……………………………………………………………...……………3

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS……………………………………………………………………5

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION…………………………………………………………………….6

TARGET MARKETS……………………………………………………………………………6

POSITIONING…………………………………………………………………………………10

DISTRIBUTION……………………………………………………………………………….11

BUDGET………………………………………………………………………………………..12

PROMOTION/MEDIA STRATEGY…………………………………………………………13

COMMUNICATION MOCKUPS……………………………………..………………………16

COMPANY PRESS RELEASE………………………………………………………………..18

CAMPAIGN EVALUATION………………………………………………………………….19

REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………………….20

MARKET SUMMARY

Summary

According to the Mintel executive summary, soda sales have decreased in the last few years. This is due to consumers feeling they need to be drinking healthier beverages than regular or diet soda. The summary has forecasted that soda sales, which were at $36.07 billion in 2015, will decrease to $35.59 by 2020 (Sisel, 2016). Within the current $36.07 billion sales, Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc., and Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group are dominating the market at 92% total coverage. Therefore, in order to stay either on top of or simply in the market at all, soda companies have been expanding their products to more low/no calorie beverages, waters, teas and sports drinks, or even across the market to food products.

Scope and Forecast of the Market

Due to the recent health kick the US population is experiencing, carbonated beverage companies need to think of new ideas and innovations to keep up with the demand of more health conscious consumers. Recently this has lead to a shift from regular carbonated soda to options like sparkling water and diet and natural sodas. (White-Sax, 2014) Increasing oil prices are predicted to cause a higher production price for carbonated soft drinks, in turn raising the sales price. It is projected that this increased price for carbonated soft drinks will further lower consumer consumption (Sisel, 2016). It’s also slightly advantageous to be a smaller company in this market. Large companies are finding difficulty keeping consumer trust, since they are drastically changing the product from the original, artificially sweetened product and experimenting with new items to draw more people in, whereas smaller brands are seen as more authentic due to the fact that they produce sodas in smaller batches with trusted local ingredients (Sisel, 2016).

Other Market Leaders

Coca-Cola has had issues in the past, specifically in 2006 involving relations with the independent bottling companies they would use to bottle their products (How coca cola has changed 2016). The company is also looking to rebrand. Coca-Cola Life, a soda made out of natural sugar and no artificial sweeteners, has half as many calories as regular Coca-Cola and therefore meets the demand for the growing health conscious consumer market (White-Sax, 2014). In addition, Zevia, a small craft carbonated soft drink brand, has seen a dramatic spike in sales recently, as it is another beverage that is sweetened with natural ingredients (Packaging & Converting Intelligence, 2016). To further appeal to consumer demands, Zevia has made their beverages color-free, non-GMO Project Verified, and have removed artificial ingredients that consumers have shown to dislike (Sisel, 2016). PepsiCo, another beverage market leader, has come out with the product, Sierra Mist Natural with two main objectives in mind; the first being to encourage consumers to buy a seemingly healthier beverage, and the second being to discourage consumers from buying their competitors’ products. One of the ads created for Sierra Mist natural involved a cutout of a can of Sprite, a Coca-Cola product, being knocked over by a can of Sierra Mist Natural, with the tagline stating: “If you're not fond of fake, try Sierra Mist Natural” (Zmuda, 2011).

Market Challenges

Health concerns are always the trailing topic when it comes to discussion of purchasing and consuming soft drinks. These concerns do shed negative lighting on soft drink products, which the company will have to help the customer overcome. Consumers have been more interested in their well-being and general health, not just by exercising more frequently, but also watching what they put into their bodies. This decline of processed foods, added sugars, and artificial ingredients could be a strong cause of the steady decline of carbonated soft drink consumption. Some of these health concerns associated with soft drinks are highlighted in this extensive report from a study at Harvard University: • People who consume sugary drinks regularly—1 to 2 cans a day or more—have a 26% greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people who rarely have such drinks. • A study that followed 40,000 men for two decades found that those who averaged one can of a sugary beverage per day had a 20% higher risk of having a heart attack or dying from a heart attack than men who rarely consumed sugary drinks. A related study in women found a similar sugary beverage–heart disease link. • A 22-year-long study of 80,000 women found that those who consumed a can a day of sugary drink had a 75% higher risk of gout than women who rarely had such drinks. Researchers found a similarly elevated risk in men. (Soft Drink and Disease, 2016)

Even if consumers have never had a craft or natural soda, many are willing to try for the flavor. According to a chart from Mintel, consumers are interested in the craft carbonated soft drinks to try something new and non-alcoholic. This is good, because they can market it towards any audience who enjoys carbonated beverages, not just adults over 21. People also are just curious about what it would taste like and how it would pair with their meals. Overall, while craft and natural carbonated soft drinks are not completely mainstream right now, nor have they shown to increase these beverage sales, they are keeping consumers interested and more importantly, loyal to the brands they love and use. As shown below in Figure 1, consumers have become much more interested in craft sodas with added health benefits.

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

Primary Competitor

There has been much innovation throughout the carbonated soft drink industry. Many new companies have entered into the market to change the unhealthy status of carbonated, high sugar content beverages. As an up and coming start up company, Sinker’s Soda will face many of these competitors in today’s market. The primary competitor to Sinker’s Soda will consist of other similar size craft carbonated beverage producers. The industry needs innovation as its volume has dropped from 12.8 to 12.6 billion gallons (Beverage Marketing Corporation, 2015). This has caused many smaller brands producing natural products like Sinker’s Soda to evolve. One of the main leaders in the craft carbonated soft drink industry is Zevia. Zevia is a zero calorie soda that is sweetened with natural ingredients. Zevia sales have recently been increasing steadily (Trends in the carbonated soft drinks market, 2016). Zevia is already well aware of what consumers want in their products and have adjusted their product accordingly. They have created a beverage that contains no artificial flavoring and is clear in color to give their consumers what they demand (Sisel, 2016). Zevia is knowledgeable about whom their target markets are and how to advertise to them effectively. Zevia has chosen to target female consumers as their target market. They have made their website very colorful and orientated to females to easily attract them to their brand (Sturm, Powell, Chriqui & Chaloupka, 2010). Sinker’s Soda will easily be able to compete in the same market as Zevia. The two companies are very similar in size as well as the kind of product they are selling. Sinker’s Soda will be able to create the same scope and thrive just as much as Zevia does. Sinker’s Soda will be marketed to a much wider range target market. It will be marketed to both men and women, which might result in Sinker’s Soda becoming a better- known brand. Zevia and Sinker’s Soda are both specialty soda producers. It will take more time but once they become better known throughout the carbonated soft drink industry, they will be able to compete with the larger soft drink brands.

Secondary Competitor

Competitors of Sinker’s Soda will not only be other craft soda producers but will consist of large, well known soda and other carbonated soft drink producers. These large producers, which consist of: Coca-Cola, PepsiCo. and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, share 92% of the carbonated soft drink market. However, Sinker’s Soda’s secondary competitor would be Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola leads the carbonated soft drink industry’s sales by holding 40.1% of the market share with the other companies, PepsiCo and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, following close behind (Sisel, 2016). Coca-Cola is one of the secondary competitors to Sinker’s Soda for many reasons. For starters, Coca-Cola is a company that is known worldwide. Sinker’s Soda on the other hand has a much smaller scope. Coca-Cola has been in the carbonated soft drink industry for a significant amount of time and has a large variety of carbonated beverages available. Coca-Cola, along with PepsiCo, both sell regular, diet and have introduced craft and natural products of their own to the market (Del Buono, 2016). Whereas, Sinker’s Soda is just now being introduced to the market and the company also only has two flavors of craft sodas available to consumers. Some consumers are not early adopters and may not find the added nutritional benefits of Sinker’s Soda’s craft sodas to be important to them. They prefer to stick to what they know and do not

necessarily like change. These particular consumers will most likely continue to rely on Coca- Cola or PepsiCo’s regular and diet drinks for their carbonated soft drink needs. Coca-Cola and these other producers, who are well known throughout the market, have an advantage on other soft drink producers because they are known globally. The majority of consumers have purchased their products and they trust not only their existing products but also their newly innovative craft and natural products. Some consumers may be more apt to buy products from a brand they know and trust. Sinker’s Soda is a specialty craft soda and once it is introduced to the market it will have to potential to thrive. The company will continue to grow, create more flavors and become better know. The one disadvantage Sinker’s Soda has is that it may never reach the same wide scope that Coca-Cola has. Coca-Cola has been a competitor in the carbonated soft drink industry for so long and it will take Sinker’s Soda a long time to reach that same status.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

A new craft soda brand, Sinker’s Soda, introduces newly innovated craft sodas to the carbonated soft drink market. Unlike many other carbonated beverages, Sinker’s Soda provides refreshing, authentic tasting products that create a natural taste that many consumers will enjoy. These carbonated beverages are made from natural, homegrown ingredients to give consumers a healthier option with added nutritional benefits compared to many other high sugar content beverages. Will Jackson, founder of Sinker’s Soda, has created two refreshing soda flavors, Cherry Pie and Apple Tart. Both flavors are made with low sugar content and fresh fruit that is locally grown in Milwaukee, WI to give the craft sodas a fresher taste. These flavors offer either a sweet and tart taste experience to please every consumer’s taste preference. Every product produced by Sinker’s Soda is packaged in a reusable glass bottle with a twist off cap. This packaging idea can appeal to every age group. The glass bottles can also appeal to consumers who are looking for an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic bottles. Each bottle is labeled with Sinker’s Soda’s logo, which consists of a photograph with fall nature and trees overlooking a lake to give the product it’s rustic, authentic, and outdoorsy personality. Will Jackson, a retired professional fisherman, have invested all of his fishing winnings to start up this company. Sinker’s Soda is an appropriate fitting name not only because it reminds us of Will’s background but it is also something that catches consumer’s eye and is easy for them to remember. The brand name again reiterates that this product is outdoorsy and authentically made. Sinker’s Soda craft soda has no artificial sweeteners and made from natural ingredients so it felt appropriate to have a natural, outdoorsy brand name as well as a packaging appeal that is beneficial to the environment. TARGET MARKETS

Overview

Target segmentation is extremely useful when launching a newly innovated product. Knowing which groups of consumers will react and respond similarly to marketing strategies will give a company a competitive edge in order to market their products more efficiently. The information provided below, discovered from previous research, analyzes what we believe should be the primary and secondary target markets for Sinker’s Soda craft soda products. These will be the

main groups of people that will most likely buy this product. The craft and natural soda market is broad. Many people drink soda of all sorts, and a lot of those people would be willing to try a different type of soda. Young people have shown to like soda because it keeps them energized and can be a tasty alternative to water. Older people tend to like it because it’s what they’ve grown up drinking and they have a sense of comfort attached with it. The largest consumers of natural or craft carbonated soft drinks consist of older millennials with children, hereafter mentioned as mothers and fathers, or parents. Though parents are frequent consumers of craft and natural carbonated soft drinks, fathers have shown to consume more than mothers. This can cause mothers to be a part of the secondary target audience, solely because there is an opportunity to increase consumption in that segment. Aside from mothers and fathers, ethnically, Asians and Hispanics are the highest consumers of carbonated soft drinks, especially when looking at the natural sector.

Primary Target Market

Our first recommended Target Market for Sinker’s Soda is Millennials aged between 20-39. This age group includes people who are just starting families or their overall adult life. A focus should also be placed on Asian and Hispanic families within this market. Millennials overall are more likely to consume craft/natural sodas than any other generation, with older Millennials (aged 30- 39) consuming the most. This is because while they are generally drinking the same amount of craft/natural soda as younger Millennials (between the ages of 22-29), older Millennials generally have children who are also consuming the soda (Sisel, 2016). Not only do older Millennials consume more per household, they also consume more per person as well. Because they are the top consumers of craft/natural sodas, other craft soda companies are trying to market towards them as much as possible, and Sinker’s Soda is advised to do the same.

On average, Millennials buy and drink more carbonated beverages a week than any other generation. They generally buy 15 beverages a week, 2.7 of which are carbonated, while older generations buy 8 beverages a week, 2 of which are carbonated (Thorn, 2016). Part of the reason for Millennials’ interest and high consumption of these craft/natural sodas is because they are looking for a beverage with natural or premium ingredients that create a new and exciting flavor that is different from regular soda (Sisel, 2016). Young Millennials who have never tried craft/natural soda are more likely to try it, while older Millennials are more hesitant to try it, because they are comfortable in their beverages. However, older Millennials are seemingly easier to convince to try new types of beverages, because they are more concerned about the price of drinks rather than flavor. Older Millennials are also more concerned about the healthiness of products and what they are putting into their bodies and what they are giving their kids. The carbonated soft drink market is in need of a product that can correlate with consumer’s healthy lifestyle but can also provide them with a treat. Natural and craft carbonated soft drinks provide consumers with a healthy alternative that is still refreshing and delicious. Millennials are extremely aware of what they are putting into their bodies are trying to live a healthier, well balanced lifestyle for themselves and their loved ones. Research has shown that 57% of U.S. carbonated soft drink consumers think that soft drinks with natural ingredients, like craft and natural soft drinks, are much healthier than those with artificial flavoring (Del Buono, 2015). As shown below in Figure 2, when asked to describe their ideal carbonated soft drink, the addition of vitamins and mineral was also important to consumers.

Figure 2: Shows the percentage each consumer’s description of their ideal carbonated soft drink

Going in tandem with the families in that same age group, Asian and Hispanic families will be more likely to buy a Sinker’s Soda craft soda product.

Hispanics Hispanics have shown to be drawn more towards craft soda products because they are seen as more refreshing. Hispanics have also been shown to be very loyal to the brand of their beverages, for instance, if a company has a strong relationship with Latin America, Hispanics would tend to be more likely to consume that product over, a different competitor’s product (Sisel). Craft soda producers are also trying to incorporate healthier options for this market, considering the fact that many Hispanics are obese or diabetic (Baskin, Ard, Franklin, & Allison, 2005). Craft soda products can also allow consumers to drink more authentic Hispanic or Latino flavors, since normal carbonated soft drinks do not offer them.

Asians

Asians have also shown to be more likely to consume natural or organic beverages due to their tendency to lean towards environmentally conscious consumer behavior. Since craft soft drinks have premium or high quality characteristics, it is more likely to attract Asian consumers. According to the United States Census Bureau, there are about 17 million Asians living in the United States, of which 74% live in family households with 36.3% having children under the age of 18. A survey is shown below in Figure 3 about Hispanics and Asian’s natural soda preferences.

Figure 3: A comparison between natural soft drink preference and Stevia Sweetened soft drinks. Both groups dominate each chart.

Secondary Target Market The second target market identified for Sinker’s Soda craft sodas is more health conscious teens that are around the age of 20. This can also stem from the kids of parents in the Older Millennials age group belonging to the first target market. This market will consist of consumers who already have a predisposed belief about artificial sweeteners, viewing them as unhealthy and something to avoid. When young people are looking at a beverage, often time they are looking for hydration and nutrition, qualities that cannot be found in normal soda, but it can be offered in craft/natural sodas like Sinker’s Soda. Because of young people’s demonstrated interest in health, craft/natural sodas should play up their natural and premium ingredients to cater to the health craze (Fry & Kim, 2015). Shown below in Figure 4, there has been an increase in the amount of consumers drinking natural and craft carbonated soft drinks as a result of the recent health trends.

Figure 4: Increase in natural/craft drinks from 2015 to 2016

The health conscious teen market should also be targeted because these consumers often compare craft soda to craft beer, especially for those who are under the drinking age. PepsiCo is one company that has truly targeted young people with their new craft soda products. PepsiCo reasons that if the beer industry could be reinvented through craft beer, the soda industry could also be reinvented in the same way, which would target young people who don’t have the option to drink beer. If this market cannot drink alcohol, the potential is high that they would rather be consuming a healthier beverage (Fry & Kim, 2015). Craft sodas are also made in small batches with ingredients that are not too expensive, meaning young people with a small income would still able to afford the product (Kessler, 2015).

This secondary target market also consists of avid social media users. This means that health conscious young adults find a craft/natural soda they like, and then they would be more likely to share it with their friends via social media. They are also more likely to participate in social media campaigns than people in older generations, which would spread more awareness of the product and encourage their friends to do the same (Fry & Kim, 2015). This could also lead companies like Sinker’s Soda to get in touch with other progressive or startup companies who are also attracting young people which could potentially result in the formation of a partnership or sponsorship that would greatly increase revenue and sales for the craft soda company (Fry & Kim, 2015).

There is common knowledge of regular carbonated soda being an unhealthy beverage option, so craft/natural sodas corporations will have to work extra hard in order to get the word out about the healthfulness of their products. Through social media campaigns and word of mouth, Sinker’s Soda would be more likely to reach young people and spread the word about their new and inventive type of soda.

POSITIONING

Sinker’s Soda will be positioned as a high quality product that will still be desired for purchase even with an increase in price. Sinker’s Soda products are more expensive than your other average carbonated soft drink products that other brands produce. At $5.99 for a six-pack of Sinker’s Soda some consumers may reason whether or not the product is worth the more expensive price. However, Sinker’s Soda is a much higher quality product than most. Each carbonated soft drink that is produced by Sinker’s Soda is made from naturally, homegrown ingredients. This helps to create a much fresher, better tasting product that Sinker’s Soda stands behind and strives to produce. This added benefit is not offered by the cheaper products produced by other name known brands. Many of these cheaper products are sweetened with artificial flavors and sugars. Sinker’s Soda products are created with real sugar to it a more invigorating flavor and taste. The fresh ingredients and real sugars add a nutritional benefit to the sodas produced by Sinker’s Soda. Being a healthier carbonated beverage makes Sinker’s Soda products a higher quality product that many people will choose to purchase despite the cost. Sinker’s Soda is also going to be produced and distributed in only Milwaukee to begin with. In the beginning stages of the company, it will be a very exclusive product. Consumers like the idea of purchasing a product that is new and highly coveted. Being a more exclusive product many consumers will be more accepting of the increase of price. Sinker’s Sodas will be more in demand because consumers will view it as a higher quality product and worth the price. Sinker’s

Soda will additionally be positioned into the market as a company that is very environmentally friendly. Not only will their packaging strategies will show this but the company will also donate a portion of their profits to environment awareness charities.

DISTRIBUTION

Sinker’s Soda will be located and headquartered in Will Jackson’s, the founder and CEO, storefront. From there, Sinker’s Soda will be strategically located in natural and family grocery stores that will appeal to Millennial families, especially the ethnic families with children that are in search of a healthier, more natural alternative to popular carbonated soda beverages. Distributed to the Asian International Market, El Rey, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and many other traditional grocery stores, Sinker’s Soda will be available to customers in it’s eco-friendly, reusable packaging. Both flavors, cherry pie and apple tart, will be readily available to consumers in all grocery stores. Consumers will also be able to pick up a 6-pack at convenience stores like 7-Eleven or drug stores like CVS or Walgreen’s on their way home or to a social gathering. In addition to purchasing a healthier, great tasting soda, customers can return their empty bottles to Sinker’s Soda’s home base; Will Jackson’s own storefront in downtown Milwaukee and receive 5% off of their next purchase. Sinker’s Soda will also reward your contribution to the environment by donating a portion of their profit to an environment awareness charity.

Our secondary market, millennials ages 15 to 20, will be able to conveniently purchase Sinker’s Soda at grocery and convenience or drug stores around the UW Milwaukee and Marquette University campuses.

Projected sales for the first 6 months are about 27,250 units, which calculates to about $163,227.50 in gross sales.

BUDGET

PROMOTION/MEDIA STRATEGY

Instagram

We made an Instagram account on behalf of Will Jackson to advertise our soda. It is run by one of our social media interns. We chose to use Instagram because our primary target market, Millennials ages 21-39, are avid users of Instagram, allowing us to reach a wider audience in a place they care about and pay attention to. It will also reach our secondary target market, Millennials ages 15-20, who are just as active on Instagram. Both markets pay attention to social media sites like Instagram, and they participate in many contests or promotions they see online. One of our promotions on Instagram is a 5% discount on a six-pack of Sinker’s Soda when a customer brings in a 6-pack of empty glass bottles. We made this promotion to emphasize that this company is focused on its’ product being environmentally friendly, as well as highlight Will Jackson’s outdoor lifestyle. Along with the discount, Sinker’s Soda will donate 5% of their earnings on that 6-pack to an environmentally focused charity of the customers’ choice. We want to show customers that this soda is more about enjoyment than money, so by being publicly charitable and environmentally conscious we think we are conveying this message.

Bus Advertisement

We decided to do a bus advertisement on the GoldLine Route in Milwaukee because our store and primary markets are in Milwaukee. This bus route goes through a downtown area and through the middle of the UW Milwaukee area. Having the bus go through downtown and a

campus is important when a lot of our market will be college students or young professionals who are spending time downtown. People will see this ad as they are boarding the bus, and any time they pass it walking down the sidewalk. This means anyone on the campus will have the chance to see the advertisement, and campuses are full of Millennials of all ages.

Print Ads: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Milwaukee’s Lifestyle Magazine

We chose to create a print ad to be placed in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the local Milwaukee newspaper, as well as Milwaukee’s Lifestyle Magazine in order to reach consumers on the older end of our primary target market who still are devoted to these print media sources. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel will target Older Millennials in the local area while Milwaukee’s Lifestyle Magazine has more of a focus on health and local culture and will therefore target foodies looking for new, up and coming products with health benefits. People flipping through these sources will be happy to see a Sinker’s Soda print advertisement, with the specific one included in this report displaying a large tree in the middle of a scenic mountain area. On the tree, silhouettes of bottles representing Sinker’s Soda craft soda products are hanging from the branches, demonstrating that the product is made with such natural ingredients it’s almost as if the soda was grown by nature itself. This advertisement is aesthetically pleasing and would look nicely in a magazine or even newspaper to hopefully catch the eye of health conscious consumer valuing natural products as well as the outdoors and nature in general. The objective of these print ads is to generate awareness of the product amongst older consumers in the Milwaukee area as well as to promote the image of the Sinker’s Soda brand as a natural, home grown company. These ads will have an emotional appeal, aiming to foster warm feelings towards the Sinker’s Soda brand through the exposure of beautiful, scenic imagery.

Facebook Social Media Account

Our Facebook page will be run by social media interns and will work to keep the public up to date with everything Sinker’s Soda. The page will generate awareness amongst consumers and future consumers and also be linked to our other social media accounts such as our Instagram account. The same advertisements posted on our Instagram account will also be posted on the Facebook page in order to keep our campaign consistent as well as to help the company reach consumers not on Instagram. Facebook is a social media site that is used widely across generations, with 79% of U.S adults having accounts, so this platform should be able to reach both our primary and secondary target markets consisting of Older Millennials and young adults. These groups are very active on social media and will be exposed to Sinker’s Soda’s advertisements as well as any future campaigns, work done with non-profits, new flavors or product launches, company sponsored events, or hot deals. Facebook users will also be able to connect back with Sinker’s Soda by commenting or posting on our page which will give us soft measures of campaign evaluation and help us identify what’s working and what can be improved. Customer service and loyalty is extremely important for the Sinker’s Soda company, so the social media interns will be sure to connect back with consumers by responding and answering questions, which will create an outlet for a two-way flow of communication between brand and consumer. When consumers receive a response from the company they will feel valued and appreciated, and will hopefully become more loyal to Sinker’s Soda and be more likely to purchase our products in the future.

Koozie and Bottle Opener Give Away

On the opening day of Will Jackson’s store in Milwaukee, Sinker’s Soda employees will be stationed outside the storefront passing out free bottle koozies and bottle openers to city-goers. These free products will create more buzz for the opening and encourage people to stop in and see what Sinker’s Soda is all about. Bottle koozies with a Sinker’s Soda label will also be a form of advertisement in the future, promoting brand awareness when people actually begin to use them and display the company’s name to their family and friends. These two free products go

along great with Sinker’s Soda craft soda products and will hopefully encourage people to continue to purchase Sinker’s Soda products so that they can show off their stylish drink koozie or put use to their bottle opener.

COMMUNICATION MOCKUPS

Email advertisement with discount and donation incentive. This ad also appears on social media page.

This advertisement that appears on bus routes in downtown Milwaukee. This advertisement also appears on social media page.

This advertisement is used as a print ad in the Milwaukee Sentinel Journal as well as the Milwaukee Lifestyle Magazine. It also appears on social media pages.

COMPANY PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release For more information contact:

Sinker’s Soda 19224 Sinkers Road Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 567-2154 [email protected]

Homegrown Man Makes Homegrown Soda To Give Others Healthier Alternatives Will Jackson, a professional fisherman from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, tries his hand at craft soda making from ingredients harvested fresh from his farm.

Madison, WI- November 9, 2016-12:34 p.m. (CT)- A new craft soda brand, Sinker’s Soda, is being released to the public. The soda, made completely from locally grown products, is a nutritional and unique alternative to sugary beverage options.

Will Jackson, Sinker’s Soda founder, has a storefront in Milwaukee, WI set up to make and sell his soda. While his shop is being set up and his soda is gaining popularity, Sinker’s Soda will be featured at Milwaukee area restaurants, including Braise, Wolf Peach and The Farmer’s Wife. As awareness of the product grows, it will be sold at his personal store and distributed to specialty grocery stores such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and the Milwaukee Public Market. With a variety of flavors in the works mixed with the natural and local ingredients, the kids will love the fruity taste and parents will love the low levels of refined sugar. A six-pack of 12oz cans will cost $5.99, which is a small price to pay for fresh taste, fresh ingredients and a fresh take on soda. “This business started as a hobby of my mother’s when we were children to encourage us to be healthy,” says Will Jackson. “My hope is to pass this health conscious tradition down to my family and many others.”

Will Jackson, Sinker’s Soda founder, grew up consuming only locally made food and drinks. He expanded on his mother’s small soda business and came up with two new flavors of soda: Apple Tart and Cherry Pie. Will, an avid outdoorsman, wanted to come up with a healthy, natural beverage that still tastes as good as soda and played with his mother’s old recipes to create these flavors.

As a professional fisherman, Will knows the importance of staying hydrated while out on the water. But with the high sugar content in his go-to drinks, as well as the hazardous plastics they were packaged in, he knew he needed to find a healthier and more eco-friendly option. After some research into the state of the food market, he decided that it was the perfect time to go back to his

roots and create a new kind of craft soda. With the homegrown ingredients and reusable glass bottles, Sinker’s Soda is the perfect substitute to mainstream soda.

For every six glass bottles a customer brings into the Sinker’s Soda shop, they will receive 5% off of their next purchase and we will donate another 5% of this purchase to the environmentally friendly charity of your choosing. Another future promotion will allow for the opportunity to be entered in for a chance to win a free tour of the brewery. For more information, go to our website, www.sinkerssoda.com and explore how the company started and its’ progress over time. For any questions, contact our media liaison, Marigrace Carney, at [email protected].

CAMPAIGN EVALUATION

We believe that following this marketing proposal will allow Sinker’s Soda to be a very successful venture. Both target markets will be able to benefit from the products that Sinker’s Soda has to offer. The older Millennials will enjoy the healthy and natural aspect of the soda. They will feel better about purchasing this product for not only themselves but for their children and loved ones. These soda products will fill their need for a healthier alternative to high sugar content sodas. The younger Millennials, the second target market, will enjoy the natural ingredients as well and the environmentally conscious mindset that Sinker’s Soda presents to the market. The products will enhance their healthy, well-rounded lifestyles. Sinker’s Soda also can serve as another purpose for the secondary target market. Our media objectives are to reach Millennials of all ages mainly through social media as well print and bus advertisements. We feel that these are the most common ways that Millennials hear about new products. The more people the company can reach and engage with, the more popular Sinker’s Soda brand will become. The best way to do this is through social media promotions and contests. In regards to our sales objectives, the goal for Sinker’s Soda is to reach a return on investment of 63% after one year. We will be selling approximately 27,000 units of Sinker’s Soda in the first year we are in the carbonated soft drink market. While we believe that once Sinker’s Soda has made a presence in the market, its primary competitor will be other craft carbonated beverage producers such as Zevia. However, as of right now our largest competitor is Coca-Coal. They have been around for a long time and are currently seen as the soda to drink in America. Over the past few years they have been criticized for the high sugar and high calorie content of their products which both can be linked to obesity. Many consumers will continue to purchase Coca-Cola products because it’s what they trust, many health conscious individuals will be the early adopters of the craft carbonated beverage market. Sinker’s Soda is advertised as an exclusive and local company, which is why Milwaukee is the best place to sale. Will Jackson is opening his own storefront in Milwaukee and we feel that it is the best place to advertise his brand and products. As the company grows so will the areas we distribute to will. As Sinker’s Soda grows the recognition and the awareness of the company will also grow. If we continue to advertise as much as we do in the first year, along with a whole year of new customers, we can hope to almost double our sales.

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