It’s faint, but beyond the darkness we face over the next few months the light at the end of the tunnel is beginning to come into focus. That light means the possible reopening of On Premise, more sales and brighter days ahead. Consider the following:
The FDA is currently reviewing two vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna for emergency authorization after trials showed both to be highly effective. And this week the CDC released a possible timeline for distribution of these vaccines:
DECEMBER 2020
40 million doses distributed—enough to vaccinate 21 million healthcare workers and most, if not all, of the most vulnerable population living in long-term-care facilities.
JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2021
70 million doses per month could be available by early 2021. Priority will be given to people over the age of 65, people with high risk medical conditions and essential workers, like those in education, food, transportation and law enforcement.
MARCH 2021
If additional vaccines are approved, there could be as many as 150 million doses distributed per month.
APRIL 2021 & BEYOND
The widespread distribution of vaccines could begin to become available beyond high risk and high priority groups.
Taking this timeline into consideration, the CDC predicts that social gatherings will be common and largely safe by summer. It also means that the staggering numbers we currently see in terms of hospitalizations and deaths could begin to fall even sooner, maybe even as early as February or March, even if still under some social distancing and mask requirements. If On Premise sales turn around that quickly, will you be ready?
With such a pivot to Off Premise sales during the depths of the pandemic, many brands could now face a scramble to prepare to re-engage in what remains of the bars and restaurants—what had been a large and important part of the market just a little over a year earlier. Getting ready for this change requires the consideration of multiple timelines to coordinate your efforts to meet the emerging demand and needs of these important customers that will need your help. Given the long timelines required to produce beer or procure needed materials, companies need to begin that planning very soon, if not right now.
Below is a basic timeline for designing and ordering POS/POP marketing materials next to the vaccine timeline laid out above:
So, based on current projections, the time to start planning your POS materials for possible reopenings is now, especially if your product requires overseas manufacturing. And we’re here to help!
Contact us now to get the design process started so you and your accounts are ready for reopenings as they begin to happen.
For a quick reference of when you need to order vs. when you should receive your POS materials, review this chart:
