Double Forte

By Maggie Zeman

Double Forte is heading to Bar Convent Brooklyn next month.

This year, we are especially excited to return and participate as a judge in the 2026 BCB Brand Pitch Accelerator Competition, presented in partnership with Women of the Vine & Spirits. Celebrating its second year, the competition showcases emerging beverage brands in front of a live audience of industry leaders and decision-makers, offering a strong snapshot of where innovation and investment are headed across the category.

One trend that will be a core conversation at the conference is: the beverage industry is increasingly competing on experience, not simply product. Consumers no longer separate hospitality from branding. The experience itself has become the marketing.

That shift is changing how beverage brands build awareness, loyalty, and cultural relevance.

Across spirits, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic categories, brands are investing heavily in immersive tastings, collaborations, pop-ups, curated hospitality moments, and destination-driven experiences. In many cases, the bar, tasting room, restaurant partnership, or live activation now serves as the brand’s most effective media channel.

This evolution reflects broader consumer behavior. According to Eventbrite’s “Experience Economy” research, nearly 80 percent of millennials said they would rather spend money on experiences than physical goods. More recent consumer research from agencies including McKinsey and Deloitte continues to show strong demand for social connection, premium experiences, and memorable in-person engagement, even amid economic uncertainty.

Emotional connection drives purchasing behavior more than traditional advertising.

Consumers discover brands through bartenders they trust, spaces they enjoy, and experiences they want to share socially. Atmosphere influences perception. Hospitality shapes credibility. Participation builds loyalty. That reality also changes the role of communications and marketing teams.

PR is no longer limited to promoting a launch after it happens. Increasingly, communications strategy shapes the experience itself, helping brands create moments consumers want to attend, photograph, post about, and recommend. As Marshall McCluhan said, “The message is the medium.”

The brands gaining traction today understand this distinction. They are not simply selling beverages. They are building a community that provides cultural participation and builds identity around their products.

Whatever lies ahead, we look forward to reporting back with key takeaways from the show floor, conversations with industry leaders, and insights that either reinforce or reshape our expectations about where beverage marketing is heading next.

By Maggie Zeman

Not long ago, grocery shopping was largely habitual. Consumers bought what they always bought. Brand loyalty was sticky, routines were comfortable, and the path to purchase was predictable.

That world is gone.

Today’s consumer is stressed, financially cautious, and navigating a cultural landscape that feels increasingly unsettled. As a result, the traditional marketing playbook is shifting. Consumers are now shaping cultural trends faster than brands can respond. For marketers, the implication is clear: agility is no longer optional, it’s a competitive advantage.

When marketers tap into “cultural and ideological values” they can establish emotional resonance with audiences in today’s fractured consumer environment. But doing that effectively requires brands to stay closely connected to culture, not just category.

At Double Forte, trend monitoring isn’t a quarterly exercise or an annual planning ritual. It’s a daily discipline. Our team reads across more than 20 publications each day including trade media, consumer press, cultural outlets, and economic research. We report findings on our blog and share internally across teams. We also share findings in our staff meetings. Each week, a team member presents a trend and shares how it’s showing up not only in media but in real life. We discuss how it is influencing consumer behavior and brainstorm how our clients’ brands can authentically enter the cultural conversation.

Why do we do this?

Because if you can feel a trend before you can quantify it, you’re already ahead of the curve. For example, understanding that today’s consumers increasingly want tangible benefits that simplify their lives and align with their values can enable brands to shift. Those conversations become part of our client work as we connect cultural signals with brand opportunities.

The bigger lesson for marketers? Trends don’t live in silos. What begins as a cultural shift in fashion, art, or lifestyle often migrates quickly for our food and beverage clients. Sustainability conversations shape packaging expectations. The analog revival fuels interest in home cooking and farmers markets. Community values influence brand loyalty that can drive in-person engagement. We listen and then connect the dots for our clients making these shifts brand opportunities.

Five Ways Brands Can Turn Consumer Trends Into Marketing Opportunities

1. Turn trend monitoring into consumer discovery

Consumer insights don’t come from reports alone. The most valuable discoveries happen when research is paired with cultural observation. Brands should actively combine formal research with ongoing trend monitoring to better understand the emotional and behavioral drivers behind purchasing decisions. Bringing internal teams into those discussions often sparks fresh thinking and more proactive marketing strategies.

2. Build community before launching campaigns

Before investing heavily in paid media, invest in belonging. For food and beverage brands, this might mean partnering with local chefs, collaborating with food creators, or showing up at community events. These relationships create authentic brand advocates and drive the kind of word-of-mouth influence that traditional marketing often struggles to replicate.

3. Make authenticity your strongest marketing asset

Consumers today have a sophisticated radar for what feels genuine and what feels manufactured. Brands that break through tend to communicate clearly about their origins, ingredients, sourcing, and values. They allow their own real people represent the brand in honest ways. Authenticity isn’t a messaging tactic; it’s a long-term trust builder.

4. Design products for the “small luxury” moment

Even budget-conscious consumers are looking for small moments of joy. This “treat culture” mindset creates an opportunity for food and beverage brands to position their products as intentional experiences rather than everyday commodities. Packaging, storytelling, and retail presentation can all help elevate the everyday and transform a product into a moment worth savoring.

5. Move quickly and test new ideas

In today’s fast-moving cultural environment, speed is an advantage. Brands can experiment with limited product drops, regional launches, seasonal flavors, or social-first campaigns that tap into current cultural conversations. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s responsiveness. The brands that test, learn, and iterate quickly often uncover the biggest opportunities.

The Bottom Line: Culture is moving fast and your brand should too. Consumers are constantly reshaping their habits, priorities, and purchasing decisions. While trust may be harder to earn in today’s fragmented media environment, one thing remains clear: joy is still on the shopping list.

By listening closely to culture, responding quickly to trends, and building authentic community connections, your brand will be better positioned to create lasting relationships with your target audiences. We’d love to discuss how Double Forte can help your brand stay ahead of those shifts.