We had the pleasure to speak to Jazzie about her beer adventure, and more so what brands can learn from influencers to increase their visibility and awareness.
Jazzie we like to kick things off with you telling us a little about yourself. Give us a little background on “Beauty.and.the.booze”.
J: Beer is gross! At least that’s what I used to tell myself until I was introduced to the craft world. Beauty and the Booze developed as just a fun way to document my journey with beer and alcohol; discovering what I like, what I don’t and what the industry is all about. I’ve had many successes and many failures, from Instagram to YouTube, and with how social media is constantly changing, you always must be ready to adapt. My favorite part of this whole experience has been the ability to collaborate with my friends and others in the industry, with their podcasts, photography, channel or side hustle, it’s been a dream come true.
Why did you start “Beauty.and.the.booze” on Instagram? Is it a full-time gig or on the side project?
J: I started Beauty and the Booze in September of 2018 after being convinced to document my journey through beer and alcohol. What started off as kind of a joke quickly blossomed into a passion. It was only a side project for me while working full time for the first couple of years. The pandemic changed things for everyone though, I was lucky enough to continue working but soon realized that wasn’t the life I wanted and made it my full-time gig in April of 2021!
We’d love to hear about how your passion for beer and travel came about? How do they both reflect upon each other?
J: I always hated beer until I was introduced to the craft world and found out that beer can have actual flavors and nuances and be enjoyable! Not to mention the number of options you have when choosing a style of beer, from Hefeweizens and Pale Ales to IPAs, Sours and Stouts; There are literally endless options and combinations, so you are bound to find something you like.
Travel wasn’t really an option for me growing up because I grew up with a single mom just trying to make ends meet. It wasn’t until I was an adult and living on my own that I took my first real vacation, and I was hooked! I loved discovering and exploring new places with family and friends! Especially if that meant a local brewery!
My passion for beer was a slow burn, and because I didn’t discover traveling until my adult life, I found them both around the same time. So, I think that’s a big reason why I love coupling them together! Plus, the community of people involved in the beer and alcohol industry are some of the best people I have ever had the pleasure to be around.
We love your sex appeal and how you add flare to the once boring beer industry. What advice would you give craft beer breweries or beer companies looking to use the Instagram social media platform to grow their brand’s image? Would you give the same advice to craft brewers as you would to the established players in this market?
J: Aw thank you! I want to show people that women like beer too and we can be a little sexy while we do it. The biggest piece of advice I could give about Instagram and really any social media platform is, be ready for change! Social media is always evolving and changing, and you must be ready for it and be prepared to adapt! I would definitely give the same advice to craft brewers but also to stay true to who they are and their brand. Sometimes it can be hard to stand out in the industry because a lot of people still think “beer is just beer” but if you have something new and unique, run with it, because the sky’s the limit!
What is your stance on influencers being paid to post about brands? Should influencers be transparent regarding payment for posts?
J: I think it’s great for an influencer to be able to get paid for their contributions to the industry. I look at it the same way I would look at a celebrity doing a commercial to promote a brand or product, but I do believe that you should be transparent about whether it is a paid promotion or not. Regardless, I think anything that you promote, you should believe in, whether paid or not. I would never promote something or put my name to something that I didn’t trust or believe in.
How do you think the rise of influencer accounts on Instagram has impacted on the way that people discover restaurants/beers/bars/food?
J: They’ve had a HUGE impact on everything in our world. Social media and influencers are basically the new Yelp. A single influencer could have millions of followers, yet remain mostly unknown to the general public, but if they post about an experience they had somewhere, that could potentially make or break and establishment. It’s basically taken word of mouth advertisement to an entirely new level.
If you could visit any city at any period of time, where would you go and why?
J: I think that I would stick to today’s time period, and I would love to visit Dublin, Ireland. Definitely a big one on my bucket list! There are over 7,000 pubs in Ireland, and I love the history and the architecture. Stouts have recently become a favorite of mine so to experience a Guinness and a Black Death (Guinness with a shot of Whiskey) in Ireland, would be the ultimate dream!
General words of wisdom you live by….
J: Follow your happy. It is something that I instilled in myself after I quit my job. It sounds so basic and generic, but I think that we get so swept up in what we are supposed to do, whether in our career, marriage, or kids, that we forget to do what we actually want to do. We forget to do the things that actually make us happy, so just follow your happy, wherever it may lead you.
What do you wish brands knew before approaching you on Instagram?
J: Most of the time I just wish that they were actually real, because most are just robots or scams, so it can get frustrating. If a real brand ever did want to work with me though I would want them to know that I would need to actually believe in and support the brand to promote it. Like I said in one of the previous questions, I would never want to put my name with something that I didn’t believe in myself.
On a personal note, what are some of the most important things in your life?
J: The absolute most important thing in my life is my family. I have always been close with them and that is something that I am so unbelievably grateful for. I have a big family on both sides, and we have always reveled in time together, from holidays and poker games to pool days and drunken nights. I don’t think that I could ever truly find the words to express just how much my family means to me.
If your best friend could tell us a funny story about you, what would it be?
J: Oh jeez, I think they would have a hard time picking a single story. I’m a giant goofball who is definitely not afraid to make a fool of herself in public. Life is way too short not to enjoy it. Will you get embarrassed sometimes, sure, but I would rather have some slight embarrassment than any regrets. So go do that stupid thing and make a memory or two.
How have the lessons of 2020 changed the way you view the future and the upcoming year 2021?
J: 2020 was definitely a challenging year for everyone, however, I think I had more hardship in the beginning of 2021 than I did in 2020. The future is always changing, and nothing is permanent, the best advice I can give is to bring this full circle and say, follow your happy. I never thought in a million years that I would be pursuing this alcoholic adventure and being known as an “influencer” or a “content creator” but I wouldn’t have it any other way. This experience has opened my eyes and my heart to so many new opportunities and it all started with a joke, a smartphone and Instagram.
