(Re)open for business? Ripples’ Real-Time Data Insights Provide Unique Snapshot of Hospitality’s Recovery Post-Covid

• Tel Aviv, Israel – August 25, 2020 – Bev-top media pioneer, Ripples, has released the first results from a new beverage sales tracker that monitors pre- and post-Covid business activity for the hospitality industry, comparing reopening rates by sector and region.

Based on real-time data derived from the company’s bev-top media platform and web app, Ripples provides a valuable tool for beverage brands and hospitality operators looking at re-emergence patterns post-Covid. The data also provides sentiment analysis of bev-top design trends that businesses can translate into actionable insights for boosting drinks sales and social media engagement.

Ripples’ data insights can be viewed in full here.

Key findings from Ripples’ customer base* reveal that as of week 30 in Q3:

• Cafés are getting back to business faster than licensed venues – 74% reopen rate compared to 68% of pubs and restaurants and 51% of hotels
• APAC is leading reopening rates – 79% of Ripples’ customer base in APAC now open, compared to 64% in EMEA and 43% in North America
• Beer and spirits brands are starting to favour summer-inspired bev-top themes that signal ‘business as usual’
• In contrast, hotels are choosing safety and sanitation-related images that enable them to address this sensitive subject in a light-hearted way

Yossi Meshulam, Ripples’ CEO, comments: “As the hospitality industry fights to recover from the devastating impact of Covid-19, all eyes are on what businesses around the world are doing to bounce back. We’ve analysed data from Ripples’ customer-facing web app and thousands of Ripple Makers located in 80 countries, providing what we believe is a unique snapshot of how the hospitality industry globally is recovering from the pandemic. With data insights updated in real-time, we believe this will provide a valuable resource for beverage brands and hospitality venues going forward.”

Ripple Makers use natural extracts to imprint messages, logos and even selfies onto the top of foam-topped beverages. Wi-fi enabled, they collect data on the number and type of images that are being printed and track usage analytics. This allows visibility of which venues are open, measures sales volume, and even shows what type of bev-top content is being printed – giving insight into how the industry is feeling at any point in time.

Prominent content trends identified by the data show beer and spirits brands starting to drop Covid-related bev-top content in favour of summer-inspired themes that signal ‘business as usual’, whilst hotels are choosing safety and sanitation-related drink designs to coincide with what is typically peak summer travel season. Regionally, design trends in APAC mirror the trajectory of infection, with content that depicts face-mask-covered emojis spiking in popularity as early as April just as local businesses began to reopen.

Mr Meshulam adds: “Bev-top media provides hospitality outlets with a unique way to communicate with their customers – something that is more important than ever given the challenges they currently face. We’re happy to see a steady, 10% increase in print volume week-over-week at venues that have reopened since the lockdown. Clearly, these outlets are using Ripples to comfort, inspire, and forge connections.”