case studymarketingbeverage

Case study idea: beverage brand that pre-sold a Dry January bundle

UUnknown

2026-02-19

9 min read

A 2026-ready blueprint for documenting a successful Dry January beverage preorder: metrics, timeline, creative assets, and feedback tools.

Hook: Reduce launch risk — document the Dry January preorder that pays for itself

If you’re launching a beverage and your biggest worry is overproduction, uncertain demand, or messy fulfillment, preorders are your safest path. A well-run Dry January preorder not only validates demand but generates revenue, builds a community, and sharpens your supply plan. This guide shows exactly how to structure a case study for a successful Dry January preorder campaign in 2026: what metrics to collect, a plug-and-play timeline, the creative assets you’ll need, and how to capture customer feedback that converts into lifelong buyers.

Why Dry January matters in 2026 (short, strategic context)

Consumers in 2026 pursue balance and personalization in wellness — not strict abstinence. Brands that frame Dry January as a supportive, social, and tasty habit win. Late-2025 reporting shows beverage brands shifting messaging to meet this nuance: focus on occasion-based use, lower alcohol options, and social rituals rather than moralizing abstinence.

“Beverage brands update Dry January marketing based on changing consumer habits” — Digiday, Jan 2026.

Implication: Position your Dry January bundle as an attractive, shareable ritual (mocktail packs, low-ABV mixes, wellness tonics). Your case study should emphasize conversion strategies tied to these messages and how they performed against wellness-first trends.

Executive summary you should include at the top of the case study

Start with a one-paragraph outcome statement that answers three questions: what you tested, the result in hard metrics, and the business impact.

Example executive summary (format):

Test: 30-day Dry January bundle preorder campaign (limited run 2,500 units, early-bird discount).
Result: 2,800 preorders, $210K gross revenue, CAC $18, AOV $75, on-time shipping 92%.
Impact: Validated demand to proceed to a 15,000-unit first production run and secured $80K in replenishment funding.

Metrics to collect (and how to calculate them)

Your case study credibility rests on accurate, comparable metrics. Track these categories at minimum. For each metric include baseline, target, and actual values in your report.

1. Acquisition and ad performance

Impressions / Reach — total audience exposed to the creative.
Clicks / CTR — clicks ÷ impressions (use for ad creative performance).
Cost Per Click (CPC) and Cost Per Mille (CPM).
Cost Per Acquisition (CPA / CAC) — total marketing spend ÷ number of paying preorders.
ROAS — revenue from campaign ÷ ad spend.

2. On-page funnel & conversion

Landing page conversion rate — conversions ÷ unique visitors.
Add-to-cart rate and checkout abandonment rate.
Payment authorization success rate — helps identify fraud or payment friction.
Variant conversion rate for A/B or multivariate tests (creative, copy, price).

3. Order-level & financial metrics

Preorder units — total units sold in the campaign window.
Average Order Value (AOV) — revenue ÷ orders.
Gross preorder revenue and net revenue after fees/refunds.
Refund / cancellation rate — cancelled preorders ÷ total preorders.
Unit economics checklist: COGS per unit, contribution margin, breakeven volume.

4. Fulfillment & operational metrics

Shipping estimate accuracy — percentage of orders delivered within promised window.
Fulfillment error rate — wrong item, missing item, damaged item.
Backorder and delay incidence — count and average delay days.

5. Retention & customer feedback

Repeat purchase rate within 90 days.
Net Promoter Score (NPS) and CSAT.
User-generated content (UGC) volume and engagement rate.
Review sentiment and common themes (taste, packaging, shipping).

Data collection tips (privacy & tooling — 2026 considerations)

In 2026, cookieless targeting and stricter consent require a first-party-data-first approach. Use server-side event tracking, consented email capture, and post-purchase IDs to stitch journeys. Preferred tools: Shopify + server-side GA4 (or its evolved replacements), Stripe/Adyen for payments, Klaviyo for email flows, and a lightweight CDP for segmentation.

Timeline: a practical 12-week plan you can copy

Below is a repeatable timeline that teams of 2–10 can execute. Adjust durations for larger productions or multiple SKUs.

Weeks -12 to -10 (Concept & validation)
- Define bundle SKUs and pricing (single pack, 2-pack, subscription upsell).
- Estimate COGS, fulfillment capacity, and minimum viable production.
- Run a 1-week audience poll or landing page MVP to test messaging (social ads with CTA "Notify me").
Weeks -9 to -6 (Creative & build)
- Produce hero photography, short-form vertical video, and packshots.
- Build preorder landing page with clear ship date, terms, and trust signals.
- Set up payment gateway, order management, and fulfillment partner SLA.
Weeks -5 to -3 (Soft launch & influencer seeding)
- Activate an early-bird cohort (email + private link) to drive first 10–20% of capacity.
- Seed product with micro-influencers for UGC and testimonials.
- Start ad campaigns — awareness and retargeting lists begin to populate.
Week -2 to launch
- Finalize messaging, enable payment captures, QA the checkout (mobile + desktop).
- Prepare post-purchase flows (confirmation, fulfillment update, feedback request).
Launch week (Week 0)
- Open preorders publicly. Monitor ad performance hourly and reallocate budgets to winners.
- Use live commerce or a launch livestream to convert late-considerers.
Weeks 1–4 (Scale & iterate)
- Double down on high-performing creatives, pause losers.
- Survey early buyers at week 2 for taste/packaging feedback.
Weeks 5–12 (Fulfillment & wrap)
- Ship in waves per promised dates, keep buyers informed.
- Collect reviews, measure NPS, and compile case study materials.

Creative assets checklist and testing plan

Design assets to support each funnel stage. A/B test aggressively early; creative wins determine CAC and conversion speed.

Essential assets

Hero packshot (desktop and mobile variants) — clear product + price overlay.
Lifestyle images showing social contexts (mocktail hour, brunch, workout recovery).
Short-form video (9–30s) for Reels/TikTok — 3 creative angles: taste, ritual, social proof.
Long-form livestream script for launch events or retailer partnerships.
UGC templates for influencers to ensure on-brand shots and hashtags.
Email banners & confirmation visuals to reinforce the preorder experience.

Testing framework (fast & iterative)

Test 3 headlines x 3 thumbnails in the first 72 hours — scale the top performer.
Run control vs. wellness-angle vs. social-ritual angle; measure ROAS and LTV.
Use AI-assisted creative variants to produce micro-iterations (color, crop, CTA) and automate tests in ad platforms.

Payments, fulfillment, and customer experience — practical rules

Preorders hinge on trust. Every policy and interaction should reduce buyer anxiety about delayed shipment.

Charge now or later?

Charge at purchase: better cash flow, fewer cancellations, clearer commitment. Authorize-only: reduces buyer friction but can cause failed-capture headaches later. In 2026, most DTC beverage preorders charge at checkout and offer a clear refund policy; that simplicity improves conversion and simplifies fulfillment accounting.

Payment options and fraud

Offer card + digital wallets + BNPL (Klarna/Afterpay) to increase AOV. Track BNPL authorization fallout separately.
Use 3DS2 where required; monitor payment authorization success rate and optimize gateway routing.

Shipping promises & communication

Publish a clear ship window (e.g., "Ships mid-February — expect delivery by Feb 28").
Send weekly status updates for long lead times; include production photos for transparency.
Automate tracking notifications and a single-click support link for shipping issues.

Collecting customer feedback (templates and timing)

Customer feedback is the gold in your case study. Capture both quantitative scores and verbatim quotes.

Feedback timeline

At delivery: short CSAT (1–2 questions) and a review prompt.
1–2 weeks after delivery: behavioral survey (how used, frequency, taste rating, occasion).
30–60 days: NPS and repurchase intent + ask for UGC or testimonial with an incentive.

Survey questions (short & high-signal)

How satisfied are you with the product on a scale of 1–10? (CSAT)
What occasions have you used the product for? (select list)
Would you recommend this product to a friend? (NPS)
What one thing would improve the experience?

Sample results snapshot (hypothetical, but realistic)

Use this as a formatting example in your case study results section.

Campaign period: Jan 1–Jan 31, 2026
Preorders: 2,800 units
Gross revenue: $210,000
AOV: $75
CAC: $18
Checkout conversion rate: 6.8%
Refund/cancel rate: 2.1%
On-time shipping: 92%
NPS (30 days post): 58
UGC posts: 320, engagement rate: 12%

Label this section clearly as hypothetical if you’re using an example to illustrate format rather than actual numbers.

Lessons learned & optimization playbook

Be honest. The strongest case studies highlight what failed and what you changed as a result.

Creative wins: Short, people-first videos beat product shots 3:1 in CTR. Action: reallocate 60% of budget to short-form UGC-style creatives.
Fulfillment: A single 7-day delay increased cancel requests by 40%. Action: increase safety stock and offer wave-based shipping windows for future preorders.
Pricing: Early-bird bundles improved AOV and conversion; permanent pricing lowered urgency. Action: keep a limited-quantity discount next launch.
Retention: First repurchase within 60 days was 18% when a personalized recipe email was sent at day 10 versus 8% without. Action: automate recipe and use-case emails.

How to structure the final case study doc (template)

Use this structure for readability and SEO — it maps to buyer interest and helps internal teams replicate success.

Title: Short, results-driven (e.g., “Dry January preorders: 2,800 units, $210K in 30 days”)
Executive summary — 2–3 sentences
Background & challenge — why the brand ran a preorder
Hypothesis & campaign strategy — messaging, pricing, and capacity
Timeline & tactics — step-by-step execution
Creative gallery — hero images, videos, live screenshots
Results — the metrics list, with charts if possible
Customer feedback — quotes and sentiment themes
Lessons & next steps — what you’ll test next
Appendix — raw numbers and definitions

Advanced tactics and 2026 trends to incorporate

Shoppable video & livestreaming: Convert high-intent viewers during livestream product demos and Q&A sessions.
AI for personalization: Use generative models to create personalized hero images and subject lines for segmented audiences.
Subscription funnel integration: Offer a preorder-to-subscription path to increase LTV (e.g., first box preorder, then convert to monthly delivery).
Sustainability messaging: 2026 buyers expect transparent sustainability claims — track and report carbon or packaging improvements as part of the case study.
First-party data strategies: Collect email and phone consent early and use SMS flows for high-intent cart recovery.

Wrap: what a great Dry January preorder case study proves

A strong case study does more than brag; it proves your ability to reduce risk, predict demand, and turn early buyers into recurring customers. It demonstrates measurable improvements in acquisition efficiency, conversion, and fulfillment accuracy — and it shows how customer feedback informed the next product iteration.

Call to action

Ready to run a Dry January preorder that validates demand and funds your first run? Use our 12-week template, creative checklist, and metrics dashboard at preorder.page — or book a 30-minute launch audit with our team to tailor this plan to your beverage.

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