Best Consumer Education Program

n July of 2022 , the Ohio Division of Liquor ( OHLQ ) launched its “ Seed to Sip ” series to highlight the state ’ s agriculture , people , art and science in both Ohio and nationally . This showcased the cross-functional collaboration of these sectors in creating award-winning spirits .

by Kyle Swartz

“ OHLQ wanted to bring consumers the people and passion behind some of their favorite spirits ,” says Lorraine Terry , Senior Managing Director , JobsOhio Beverage System , “ from a fourth-generation Ohio farmer to award-winning distilleries .”

“ The ‘ Seed to Sip ’ series reminds consumers that found in every glass of your favorite spirit is a story of agriculture , art and science ,” Terry adds . Especially pertinent in a day and age when hyper-educated consumers are always looking for more learning opportunities about the brands they know or are just now discovering .

This series was highlighted through articles , videos and Facebook posts to educate consumers about the process before the process of distilling .

“ The series entailed an omni-channel story-telling approach — web , social , and video , to illustrate farmers , distillers , and their methods to creating that perfect sip ,” Terry says . “ Because of the diverse , robust content available , we were able create content on one platform and create social posts driving back to the web landing page that housed all of the videos — and mocktail recipes !” Measuring the success of the program was a matter of reviewing video and web traffic . How about the consumer response ? “ Consumers appreciate learning about how their favorite spirit has come to be , thereby respecting the drink and sipping it responsibly ,” Terry says . “ The ‘ Seed to Sip ’ series reminds us that found in every glass of your favorite spirit is a story of agriculture , art , and science .” What ’ s next for “ Seed to Sip ”? “ We will continue to identify farmers and distillers who have amazing stories to tell ,” says Terry .

Best Technology Innovation

In November 2022 , the ISLD developed and implemented an ecommerce program for

by Krystina Skibo the online lottery system , which includes several processes to ensure a rare product is paid for and ends up with the rightful purchaser .

“ Providing an ecommerce solution to pay online helps resolve customer service issues with allocated items , especially our rare whiskey and tequila lotteries . It ’ s a game-changer in removing friction from our retail process for our retail patrons ,” says Jeff Anderson , Agency Director , Idaho Lottery and Idaho State Liquor Division .

To start the process , the ISLD sends out a note on Constant Contact , letting subscribers know a lottery is open , along with a link to enter . Once the lottery closes , the agency collects the entries and runs them through a random number generator . The winners are then notified via an email through the program that they have 72 hours to make an online payment to accept the winning bottle .

Once the online payment is made , it automatically triggers the warehouse that an item may be pulled and shipped to the appropriate store . The online tool also links to the retail store point-of-sale system , so once the bottle arrives , the store associate can receive it into the inventory and complete the transaction once the customer comes to pick it up .

The ISLD has run lotteries for several years ; however , each step of the old process was manual and purchases were made at the store location . Because of this , several items were not picked up and / or forfeited , making transfers and administrative actions complicated .

This new online tool has also aided in loss prevention , since the ISLD is now able to track the status of the item online . Forfeited bottles at the store level have now been nearly eliminated , and administrative action is less cumbersome to process .

Communication to the customers has also improved , as people are now notified throughout the entire process , including once the bottle arrives at the store and is ready for pickup . The ISLD tested the program with two small lotteries , then used it during the Pappy Van Winkle lotteries in January of 2023 . The program proved a success .

StateWays | www . stateways . com | Fall 2023 15