'There are so many celebrities and influencers that have millions of followers that can't sell a damn thing': Spritz Society's Ben Soffer on building an alcohol brand beyond its influencer roots
Ben Soffer, founder of Spritz Society, details the critical shift from influencer-led DTC to a robust wholesale strategy for alcohol brands. Learn how community building, strategic retail partnerships, and a clear understanding of sales conversion versus follower count are essential for scaling beyond social media origins in the competitive CPG market.
Key takeaways
Community-driven product development, like using Google Forms for naming and product feedback, builds initial brand loyalty and credibility essential for launch.
A strong wholesale strategy, particularly with major grocery chains like Walmart and H-E-B, is crucial for scalable growth in the alcohol industry, as DTC alone is unsustainable without a massive pre-existing community.
Influencer marketing ROI should be evaluated beyond follower count; many influencers with millions of followers struggle to drive actual sales, emphasizing the need for authentic alignment and engaged communities.
Prioritize strategic retail partnerships that align with product discoverability (e.g., grocery for alcohol) to ensure sustained brand visibility and sales beyond online channels.
Successful brand building requires transcending influencer roots by focusing on product quality, community engagement, and a sustainable distribution model rather than solely relying on founder fame.
Spritz Society rose to fame because of its influencer founder, but the sparkling wine brand is now trying to transcend that.
Ben Soffer, perhaps best known on Instagram as the Boy With No Job, ironically does have a job -- he's an alcohol entrepreneur selling canned drinks both online and in over 400 stores in eight states. Soffer is now focused on expanding Spritz Society's wholesale presence and making his company a brand beyond its social media roots.
"If you have a community, then you can get people to try a product online without ever experiencing it in-person," Soffer said on the Modern Retail Podcast. "If you don't have that community, there's no level of credibility that's going to educate you on why you should give this product to chance -- unless you're dumping money into paid media."
Indeed, it was his community that first launched the brand. Sofer asked his followers via a Google Form in 2020 about what they wanted to see in the brand. "The name of the brand, Spritz Society, comes from the empathetic approach," he said.
But now the company is much more than a few thousand survey responses. The brand is expanding to 70 Walmart locations and in 200 H-E-B stores. "The main driver is grocery and will continue to be. Grocery is where you're looking for this product," Soffer said.
Even though Spritz Society first launched online, Soffer believes that wholesale is the only real way for a startup alcohol brand to truly grow. "It's completely impossible to launch a direct-to-consumer alcohol business without a community behind it," he said.
And community is something he's thinking about a lot. For example, he is very stringent about the types of partnerships he forges with Spritz Society. It may seem like a good idea for a brand to find a celebrity, but it may not be easy to actually sell products. "There are so many celebrities and influencers that have millions of followers that can't sell a damn thing," he said.
With this, the focus is on growing Spritz Societ
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Community-driven product development, like using Google Forms for naming and product feedback, builds initial brand loyalty and credibility essential for launch.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
A strong wholesale strategy, particularly with major grocery chains like Walmart and H-E-B, is crucial for scalable growth in the alcohol industry, as DTC alone is unsustainable without a massive pre-existing community.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Influencer marketing ROI should be evaluated beyond follower count; many influencers with millions of followers struggle to drive actual sales, emphasizing the need for authentic alignment and engaged communities.
What does this episode say about influencer & creator?
Prioritize strategic retail partnerships that align with product discoverability (e.g., grocery for alcohol) to ensure sustained brand visibility and sales beyond online channels.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Successful brand building requires transcending influencer roots by focusing on product quality, community engagement, and a sustainable distribution model rather than solely relying on founder fame.
