The “Booze Blogging” panelists know how to treat their audience. Greeting attendees with “pickle back” shots (Irish whiskey followed by pickle brine) and samples of Austin’s own Tito’s Vodka, the ladies and gentlemen on this panel made sure that it was the most interactive discussion at SxSWi.
But the panel was more than just fun and libations. Speakers, headed by Lindsey Johnson of Lush Life Productions, addressed the finer points of integrating social media and modern marketing strategies with, well, booze. Representatives from several enterprises – among them alcohol-themed blogs and Tito’s Vodka – discussed the legal, ethical, and logistical ups and downs of the booze biz.
The panelists made it clear that they truly appreciate cocktails and spirits – their endeavors are not just excuses to party. In an increasingly niche environment, booze bloggers must be passionate about what they are covering. One audience member summed up the panel quite nicely, saying “I just love alcoholic beverages.” Cheers!
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Booze blogging! I am excited to see that it has become practiced in the adult work world in one case or another. Not that I think alcohol is something super fantastically great, but it does have it’s perks. People open up easier, let loose more, and sometimes say things more honestly and directly when having some alcohol in their system. I think that’s why it’s common for co-workers to go out for drinks after a hard day at work, to let loose and be real with one another. So why not use the same aspect in blogging?
Drinking before/during a live blog could definitely spice things up in different ways. In some cases you may be able to tell if a person writes ‘sober’ and posts a new entry after a few drinks. I think this would make a blog more interesting and keep viewers interested by guessing “when will they post drunk next?!” I definitely think that if one is trying to perceive a professional status still, drinking in moderation is a must but hopefully that is common sense. There’s a difference in being more direct than making yourself look like a total idiot. So in my opinion, going on 13 days until I can legally drink, I ‘cheers!’ back to this new realm of booze blogging!
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Definitely an interesting idea. Drinking usually makes people open up more and have a different perspective on things. That is, if the drinking stays modest. Booze blogging is different than drunk blogging.
I can see this becoming more and more popular with professional people, but of course there are going to be a lot of people against this saying it’s reckless and un-professional. But lets face it, most everyone likes to enjoy a drink or two, why not do something productive at the same time? I will be passing the idea on to my friends.
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As someone who works in the “booze industry,” I find this very interesting. When it comes to advertising alcohol, its all about finding what’s cool to our target audience. Right now, technology and social media are very “in.”
Some of the most interesting blogging is the open and honest kind. People want to hear the truth, and everyone knows that alcohol always helps the truth come out.
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Lindsey is such a pro, not even the trace of a wince on that pickleback!