From local brew to island leader

Client: Tropical Bottling Company (TBC), Aruba 

Brands: Balashi, Chill, Magic, Malta Balashi 

Partnership: 4+ years 

Services: Digital strategy, Google Ads, Meta Ads, Website development 

Result: Market leader achieved in 3 years (target was 5) 

The brief 

TBC is the brewery behind Aruba’s most-loved local beers. Despite operating in a market dominated by international brands with large marketing budgets, TBC had a clear ambition: make Balashi, Chill and Magic the first choice on the island within five years. 

Loyals Caribbean came on board to lead the digital strategy across all three brands. Over four years, the scope expanded to include website builds for Balashi and Malta Balashi, event marketing with ticket sales, a drink-driving awareness campaign, the Chill launch in Bonaire, and most recently a new website for the TBC Carry Out. 

The target was market leadership in five years. They got there in three. 

The challenge 

Running campaigns for three beer brands under one roof sounds straightforward. In practice, it is not. All three brands compete for attention within the same small market, targeting audiences that often overlap. Growing one too aggressively can come at the expense of another. Finding the right balance required a carefully coordinated multi-brand strategy. 

On top of that, advertising alcohol comes with strict platform limitations. Certain placements are off-limits, which means creative thinking is required to reach the right audience within those constraints. 

Finally, Aruba is a market with two very different audiences: locals who are loyal year-round, and tourists who are high-value but temporary. Every campaign had to account for both, with messaging and timing adapted accordingly. 

The strategy 

The approach is built around always-on visibility with strategic peaks. All three brands maintain a continuous presence across channels throughout the year. Frequency is carefully managed so the brands stay present without becoming repetitive. 

At key moments, above all Carnival and the Paranda di Balashi festival, budgets shift and content intensifies. These are the cultural peaks where the brands do not just show up: they lead the conversation. 

The primary KPIs are reach and impressions rather than hard conversions. In a small, concentrated market like Aruba, the goal is for everyone on the island to regularly encounter all three brands across multiple channels, without feeling spammed. Market share growth and, increasingly, content engagement are the measures that matter. 

What we did 

Google Ads 

Each brand runs its own dedicated Search, Display and YouTube campaigns. Performance Max campaigns run across relevant travel blogs and tourism platforms, reaching visitors where they research and plan. 

Meta Ads 

Each brand has its own awareness campaign on Meta. Content is refreshed nearly every month to stay relevant and prevent ad fatigue. Alongside brand campaigns, periodic ads run for vacancies, partner brands, and event promotions. 

Seasonal and event campaigns 

For peak moments, specific content is developed and ad spend is increased for the relevant brand. Carnival and the Paranda di Balashi consistently generate the highest awareness spikes of the year. High-engagement content combined with concentrated spend creates genuine island-wide buzz during those periods. 

Websites and beyond 

Loyals built and launched websites for Balashi and Malta Balashi, handled marketing for events including ticket sales, and ran a drink-driving awareness campaign. The Chill brand was introduced in Bonaire through a dedicated launch campaign. Currently in development: a new website for the TBC Carry Out, starting with visibility and expanding toward online ordering and payment in the future. 

The results 

Year on year, reach grows. Today, virtually everyone on Aruba regularly encounters one of the three TBC brands across multiple channels. On a small island, that level of consistent presence is the ultimate measure of success. 

Ad budgets are used more efficiently every year. Through continuous optimisation of targeting, creative and placement, the same investment delivers greater reach than the year before. 

And the headline result: TBC became market leader in approximately three years, two years ahead of the original schedule. 

What makes this partnership special 

Working for a local brand that genuinely reflects the culture and identity of Aruba is something we value deeply. TBC is not a brand that stands still. There is always something happening, always a new challenge, always content worth creating. 

The working relationship is equally strong. Weekly check-ins, monthly meetings, and easy contact in between make for a collaboration that moves with pace and clarity. That consistency over four years has built a level of trust and shared understanding that shows up directly in the work. 

Working for such a beautiful local brand that never stands still, with endless content possibilities and a culture worth celebrating, is exactly why this kind of work is so rewarding. 

Loyals Caribbean team, on the TBC partnership 

Many thanks for the great collaboration. We have truly created something beautiful with Balashi, Chill and Magic Mango! 

Tropical Bottling Company, on the partnership with Loyals