For almost two years, we transformed the English content of the Diageo Bar Academy into target group-specific content for the German market – shaken, not stirred. As a partner of the British agency WAA Chosen, we served up a service cocktail ranging from social media and newsletters to event support at the Bar Convent Berlin.
With localized blog articles and innovative video tutorials, we made expertise tangible. Despite tight budgets and KPI hurdles, we created an authentic digital meeting place for bartenders that went far beyond mere translation.
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Website users (in 12 months)
Website traffic from Instagram (in 12 months)
Newsletter opening rate
If you want to be relevant in the German bar scene, you need more than a few translated PDF documents from London. The Diageo Bar Academy was faced with the task of making its global learning content palatable to the German market – and meeting over 30 different key figures in the process.
The initial situation was complex: a tight budget met a demanding stakeholder structure between the UK and Germany. Previous attempts were limited to the adoption of English templates, which neither inspired the local target group nor the Instagram algorithms. There was a lack of local relevance, real expert knowledge and a workflow that didn’t suffocate in time-consuming PowerPoint presentations.
Video reels from Bar Academy: drinks, tips and service content in brand style.
Screenshot of the Diageo Bar Academy social media feed with post designs for drinks and service.
Together with our partner agency WAA Chosen, we turned the rigid structures upside down. We replaced tedious planning documents with the Loomly tool and established an efficient, monthly lead time for all content.
Instead of just translating texts, we involved local scene figures and produced our own, approachable content. We transferred old data into new systems and developed blog posts on topics such as harassment protection in bars and the trend towards alcohol-free drinks.
Our team relied on a cocktail of strategic content pillar planning, newsletter localization and live support at the Bar Convent Berlin. We produced authentic reels instead of glossy clips in order to convey accessible expertise directly from bar practice.
Newsletter layout in the email editor: recipes, ingredient lists and images in Diageo Bar Academy style.
Blog header with interview title on female pioneers in the beverage industry and author information.
Blog teaser "Equal rights in the bar industry?" with image overlay and introductory text.
"In this project, we learned that authenticity beats any glossy production in the end. When we shoot reels directly in the bar and share real expertise without filters, we reach the community much more effectively than with perfectly polished advertising clips from the studio. "—Denise Ludwig, Digital Marketing Manager at jut-so
Our reels developed into real reach drivers: authentic tutorials on cocktail garnishes or highballs proved that realistic content works better than highly polished advertising clips. The Diageo Bar Academy consolidated its reputation as the leading expert for training in the German market.
WAA Chosen benefited from our reliability and creative initiative, which allowed the account to grow organically. At the end of the project, we had a portfolio of accessible content that met the target group where they work: right behind the counter.
