Disruption is the Name of the Game

A beverage distribution company to rival all the rest

Industry
Distribution
Service
Strategy
Content
Video
Website
HubSpot
Inbound
Workflows
Paid Media
Social Media
Earned Media

The challenge

Bernick’s is a fifth generation, family-owned distributor located in Central Minnesota. They are a leading wholesale soft drink and beer distributor serving Minnesota and Wisconsin markets. Bernick’s was no stranger to marketing. But, as a company that has been in business since 1916, their marketing knowledge and experience was very focused on traditional, outbound marketing tactics.

In early 2014, Bernick’s came to Vye with a lofty list of goals and problems to solve. They wanted to improve website performance and cut through a saturated market. Ultimately they wanted to:

  • Attract and convert their competitor’s customers 
  • Generate new, qualified leads 
  • Improve brand awareness and perception
Bernicks-Challenge-Image
laptop bernicks-home
Click to see more

The solution

Like many of our long-standing clients, we have executed a number of strategies to help Bernick’s grow throughout the years. What started as a website project quickly became an all-encompassing marketing and sales strategy. Introducing the Bernick's team to inbound marketing has revolutionized the way they think about reaching their target audience. 

When our relationship began, Bernick’s was fairly skeptical about our ability to reach an untapped market. They were convinced that all prospective customers were either known and already customers or currently working with competitors. 

It didn’t take long for that assumption to be challenged. By adding distinct conversion opportunities and attracting a relevant audience through optimized content, Bernick’s quickly saw a dramatic increase in online lead generation. From the start, we’ve poured time and effort into crafting valuable content through gated, downloadable offers to keyword-optimized blogs. Bernick’s stands out not only in Minnesota and Wisconsin as a best-in-class beverage distributor, but across the United States. 

Our strategic marketing campaigns included a variety of tactics, including: 

  • A website built on HubSpot’s CMS platform 
  • HubSpot Marketing Hub implementation 
  • Optimized video, blog, and pillar page content
  • Downloadable, gated offers
  • Revamped social media strategy 
  • Paid media targeting 
  • Nurturing email workflows
  • Earned Media 
  • Brand evolution
about-us
Bernicks-Social-Graphics-Mockup
12.9-inch iPad Pro – 1@2x
“Vye has been such an amazing partner. We really rely heavily on them to be our inbound marketing strategy partner and the resident experts.”
- Eve Miller, Director of Marketing at Bernick’s

The results

At Vye we follow a methodology: Create. Adapt. Win. This is the consistent structure that guides us to success across a broad range of projects and clients. The process is about uncovering a path based on data, making iterative changes over the course of time, and leaning into the tactics that work. This rings true for our partnership with Bernick’s. Since 2014 we have been tweaking and honing and leaning in to the things that work.

Bernicks-Solution-Image

Key results of our strategic sales & marketing efforts

Revenue Generated
$3MM
Online leads have led to $3,000,000+ in revenue since the start of the partnership.
Website Sessions
76%
A 76% increase in website sessions, totaling 622k+ sessions since the partnership began
Blog Views
1.2K%
June 2015 compared to June 2021 shows a 1,268% increase in blog views.

Cheers to growth

Growth takes many forms. It can mean launching new products and services, or reaching new audiences. It could look like growing current client accounts. It could include reaching a broader audience to fill critical positions on the team. It might mean growing brand awareness within a community you serve. 

When it comes to our partnership with Bernicks, growth means all of those things and more. It’s a mindset we use every single day as we embark on this sales & marketing journey together.

Are you ready to experience growth? 

Start the Conversation

Want a partner who can help you achieve your marketing & sales goals?

Whether you just have a few questions and are looking for some professional insight, or you’re looking for an invested strategic partner, we’ve got you covered. Get in touch with our marketing experts.

Easter Egg!