The Modern Food & Drink Playbook: 4 Winning Moves for Today's Complex Consumer

Media Minute is WPP Media's series, specifically crafted to empower our clients and marketers for their intelligence era.

Let's be real: today's food and drink shoppers are a culinary conundrum. They’re meticulously clipping coupons for their weekly groceries but won't hesitate to splurge on a trendy new craft beverage. They’re fiercely loyal to their go-to snack brand but are easily tempted by an impulse buy at the checkout counter. 

This isn't chaos; it's the new consumer landscape. Recent global research from WPP Media, Snapchat, and Ipsos has cracked the code. Here are the four winning plays your brand needs to master to connect with, and convert, the modern food and drink shopper. 

Play #1: Master the “Smart Indulgence” 

The modern consumer is a master of “smart indulgence”. While a significant 63% are actively hunting for deals and promotions, their appetite for novelty is stronger than ever, with 65% open to trying new food and drink. 

They are performing a constant balancing act: saving on the essentials to justify splurging on the exciting. They want value, but they refuse to be boring.  

Your move: Operate on two tracks. 

• Deliver Obvious Value: Use promotions, bundles, and clear pricing to satisfy their budget-conscious side.  

• Keep It Exciting: Continue to innovate with new flavors, limited-editions items, and unique products that feel like a worthy and justifiable treat. 

Play #2: Leverage the Loyalty Loophole 

Brand loyalty is your bedrock. The research shows that roughly 7 out of 10 people stick to the food and drink brands they know and trust. Even better, 81% are more likely to try a new product from a brand they already love.  

Here’s the loophole: even the most devoted fan has a wandering eye. That same loyal customer is highly susceptible to impulse buys, especially on social media. Snapchat users, for example, are 1.6 times more likely to make a spontaneous drink purchase. This is the open door where a challenger can steal a moment of attention. 

Your move: Nurture your base, but don’t get complacent. Use vibrant, in-the-moment content on social platforms to create spontaneous purchase opportunities and remind your loyal fans why they chose you in the first place. 

Play #3 Turn “Scrolls” into “Sells” with Immersive Tech 

The path to purchase no longer starts in the grocery aisle—it starts on the social feed. For daily Snapchatters, a whopping 94% confirm that social media influences their buying journey. 

The secret weapon to accelerate this journey? Immersive experiences. Consumers are hungry for interactive content, and Augmented Reality (AR) is serving it up. In fact, 71% of consumers are interested in AR from food and drink brands, and Snapchatters are over twice as likely to buy from brands that offer these experiences. It closes the gap between discovery and decision in seconds. 

Your Move: Get immersive. Use AR to showcase your product in a fun, interactive way—whether it's a virtual recipe guide, a playful filter, or a 3D view of your packaging. It’s how you turn a passive scroll into an active sale. 

Play #4 Win the Two Circles of Trust 

When it comes to food and drink, trust is everything. Today, that trust is built in two key circles. 

• The Inner Circle (Friends & Family): This is your most powerful asset. A massive 90% of people are influenced by recommendations from those they know personally. 

• The Outer Circle (Credible Influencers): Beyond their personal network, 89% of shoppers who engage with influencers are swayed by their recommendations. For food and drink, credibility is the key ingredient. An influencer partnership, when combined with a product ad, can lift purchases by 8%. 

Your Move: Activate both circles. Encourage and reward word-of-mouth sharing among friends. At the same time, partner with authentic, knowledgeable creators who can lend genuine credibility to your product. Trust is your most valuable ingredient.  

By mastering these four plays, your brand can move beyond simply reacting to the market and start predicting it. It's about understanding the why behind the buy and turning that intelligence into unstoppable impact.