Case Study: Launch Marketing for a WA Beverage Brand

A coordinated launch marketing strategy can increase beverage brand sales by over 150% in the first quarter by combining professional product photography, a conversion‑optimised website, and targeted digital campaigns. This case study shows how a Western Australian craft beverage brand achieved exactly that—transforming from a little‑known local product to a stocked‑in‑50‑venues success story within three months. The launch focused on visual storytelling, local SEO, and community engagement—three elements that are critical for standing out in Perth’s competitive food and drink market.

Case Study Overview

The Challenge: Launching a New Beverage in a Crowded WA Market

The brand, a small‑batch craft beverage producer based in Fremantle, faced three major hurdles as they prepared to launch:

• Low brand awareness: With no existing customer base and minimal digital presence, they were essentially invisible to their target audience of Perth venues and health-conscious consumers.
• Generic packaging and visuals: The product’s original packaging was functional but lacked the premium appeal needed to compete on shelves or in digital marketplaces alongside established brands.
• No cohesive digital strategy: The brand had a basic social media account and a placeholder website, but no plan for driving traffic, capturing leads, or converting interest into sales.

Research showed that 68% of consumers decide whether to try a new beverage based on packaging and product imagery alone—making visual appeal a make‑or‑break factor for launch success. In Perth’s competitive craft beverage market, where consumers are spoiled for choice from Margaret River wines to Swan Valley ciders to emerging local craft producers, first impressions are everything.

The Solution: An Integrated Launch Marketing Campaign

We partnered with the brand to create a launch campaign that treated photography, web development, and digital marketing as interconnected components rather than separate tasks. The campaign was built around four pillars:

By aligning these elements from the start, the brand could present a consistent, high‑quality image at every customer touchpoint—from the first Instagram post to the wholesale order form.

The Launch Process: Step‑by‑Step

Campaign Timeline

1. Product Photography & Visual Identity

We began with a full‑day product shoot that produced three distinct sets of images:

• Clean packshots on white: For e‑commerce listings, wholesale catalogues, and retail buyer presentations.
• Lifestyle and “in‑use” shots: Showing the beverage being enjoyed in typical Perth settings—beach picnics at Cottesloe, backyard barbecues, café tables in Mount Lawley.
• Ingredient and detail close‑ups: Highlighting the natural ingredients and craft production process that differentiated the brand.

Every image was optimised for web performance—compressed to WebP format, sized appropriately for different devices, and tagged with descriptive alt text that included local keywords like “Fremantle craft beverage” and “WA‑made drink.” (Learn more about why image optimisation matters for SEO.)

Photo Output Summary

2. Landing Page & E‑commerce Integration

We built a dedicated launch landing page using Astro, a static‑site framework that delivers near‑instant loading speeds—critical for mobile users and SEO. The page included:

• A clear value proposition and hero image that immediately communicated the brand’s story and WA origins.
• An email‑capture form for wholesale inquiries and a direct‑to‑consumer sales option via integrated e-commerce.
• An interactive product gallery showcasing the professional photography across different contexts.
• Embedded Google Maps showing stockists across Perth, Fremantle, and regional WA with a “find near you” function.

The page was designed with conversion in mind: every element guided visitors toward either a wholesale inquiry or a direct purchase. Core Web Vitals scored green across all metrics, ensuring the site wouldn’t lose visitors to slow loading. (See how performance impacts sales in why fast websites get more bookings in Perth.)

3. Local SEO & Google Business Profile

Before the official launch, we verified and optimised the brand’s Google Business Profile, ensuring that:

• All business information (name, address, phone, website) was consistent across directories and citations.
• Professional photos from the shoot were uploaded regularly (5–10 per week) to keep the profile fresh and signal an active business.
• Keywords like “craft beverage Perth,” “local WA drinks,” and “Fremantle brewery” were naturally incorporated into the description and weekly posts.

We also implemented local business schema markup on the website, helping Google understand the brand’s location and product offerings. This is critical for appearing in “near me” searches from venue managers looking for new suppliers. (See our full guide on Google Maps SEO for Perth venues.)

4. Launch Event & Influencer Collaboration

The brand hosted an intimate launch event at a popular Fremantle venue. We provided event photography that captured:

• Candid moments of guests tasting the product and reacting.
• Detailed shots of the beverage being served and paired with food from local caterers.
• Atmosphere shots that conveyed the brand’s personality and target audience.

We also collaborated with five Perth‑based food and beverage influencers, providing them with sample packs and professional images to share with their audiences. This generated authentic social proof and extended the brand’s reach beyond its immediate network.

Influencer Campaign Results

Measurable Results: The Impact of a Coordinated Launch

Within three months of the campaign launch, the brand saw dramatic improvements across every key performance indicator:

Beyond the numbers, the campaign established the brand as a credible player in the local market. Within six months, the product was stocked in over 50 venues across Perth, Fremantle, and regional WA, and the brand had secured ongoing wholesale contracts with two major hospitality groups operating venues in Northbridge and the Perth CBD.

Why This Approach Works for WA Beverage Brands

Perth’s food and drink scene is tightly knit and highly visual. Consumers and venue owners alike rely on digital channels to discover new products, but they’re also sceptical of overly polished, generic marketing. This campaign succeeded because it balanced professional polish with authentic local storytelling:

• Speed matters: A fast‑loading website (built with Astro) kept mobile users engaged, while optimised images ensured that visual appeal didn’t come at the cost of performance.
• Local SEO is non‑negotiable: Venue managers search for “new WA beverages” or “Perth craft drinks supplier.” By appearing in these searches, the brand bypassed expensive traditional advertising and reached decision‑makers directly.
• Visual consistency builds trust: From the packshots to the event photos to the social media posts, every image reflected the same quality and style, creating a cohesive brand identity that audiences recognised and remembered.
• Local influencers outperform national reach: The micro-influencer with 2,800 followers generated the highest engagement (11.2%) and directly referred two wholesale accounts.

Investment vs Return

ROI: 178% return on marketing investment in the first quarter alone. The photography and website assets continue to generate value ongoing, making true long-term ROI significantly higher.

Frequently Asked Questions: Beverage Brand Launch Marketing

Key Takeaways for Other Food & Beverage Businesses

This case study demonstrates that a well‑planned launch marketing campaign can deliver exponential growth, even in a competitive market. The core lessons for other WA food and beverage brands are:

• Start with professional photography: Great visuals are the foundation of any successful launch. They influence purchase decisions, build brand equity, and provide content for every other marketing channel. (Learn more in our pillar article Eat With Your Eyes: The ROI of Professional Food Photography.)
• Build a conversion‑focused digital home: Your website isn’t just a brochure—it’s your most important sales tool. Ensure it’s fast, mobile‑friendly, and designed to capture leads.
• Leverage local SEO from day one: Claim and optimise your Google Business Profile, use location‑based keywords, and encourage reviews. Local search is often the shortest path to your first customers.
• Create authentic buzz: Partner with local influencers, host a memorable launch event, and encourage user‑generated content. Authenticity resonates more than paid ads in Perth’s close‑knit hospitality community.

Ready to Launch Your WA Beverage Brand?

A successful launch doesn’t happen by accident—it’s the result of careful planning, professional execution, and coordination between visual storytelling and digital strategy. Whether you’re launching a new beverage in Fremantle, a food product in the Swan Valley, or a hospitality venue in Northbridge, the same principles apply: start with great visuals, build a fast and functional website, and engage your local community from the outset.

Want to see what a coordinated launch campaign could do for your brand? Explore our Perth product photography services or book a free launch consultation. We’ll analyse your current assets, identify the biggest opportunities, and create a tailored plan to ensure your WA launch makes the impact it deserves.

Related reading: Learn about building pre-launch landing pages, discover WA hospitality marketing trends, and see how event photography creates 90 days of content.