Diageo launches social media tool for hospitality venues

Diageo has launched a free social media marketing tool to help pubs and bars create their own advertising campaigns.

The new Social Zone platform provides high-quality, editable assets from Diageo's stable of brands, including Guinness, Tanqueray and Gordon's, which allows hospitality venues to create customised social media marketing campaigns.

Diageo says the bank of assets will be refreshed monthly, with specific assets available for special events such as the Guinness Six Nations. Outlets which use the platform will also have access to review management tools.

Venues will be able to access Social Zone in Great Britain and Ireland via mydiageo.com and in Germany, Switzerland and Austria via existing Diageo platforms. Further launches are being considered in Australia and other markets later in the year.

Jimmy Klein, global digital innovation manager at Diageo, said: "After being closed to the public for a significant amount of time, the reopening period is so important, and we are constantly looking at ways we can continue to support outlets.

"With marketing budgets squeezed and every penny going back into the business, we are harnessing years of marketing expertise from our global brands and packaging it up, so pubs and bars can build their social media offering and drive footfall into venues."

Diageo partnered with software start-up GladCloud to create the technology. Keith Curley, co-founder and chief growth officer at GladCloud, said: "We are delighted to be working with Diageo to support their on-trade customers for the reopening of the hospitality sector, with digital marketing tools and assets across the Diageo portfolio."

Social Zone is the latest initiative in a raft of support that Diageo has pledged to the on-trade in the UK since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, including a £1 million fund to support bartenders and the $100 million 'Raising the Bar' global hospitality recovery fund.

25 June 2021 - Bethany Whymark