Social media buzz boosts UK demand for Guinness among young adults

In recent months, Guinness has gained a new generation of fans — and the demand for the classic stout is causing British pubs to worry about Christmas supply.

This surge in popularity could be attributed to the social media attention Guinness has recently received. Celebrity endorsements and video trends have helped frame the Irish pint as the cool and coveted drink among young consumers.

A Star-Approved Stout

While Guinness has been recognized globally since the 1860s, the classic stout has made a modern splash thanks to affluent influences. 

In March 2023, Kim Kardashian kicked off a Guinness craze by posting a photo of herself holding the drink on social media. Olivia Rodrigo was the next star to promote the stout by sporting a “Guinness is Good 4 U” shirt – marrying one of Guinness’s original slogans with one of her song titles – during her May 2024 performance in Dublin.

After these events and the social media posts that followed, Guinness’s appeal surged among young adults, definied throughout this post as Millennials and Gen Z adults.

According to data from QuestBrand by The Harris Poll, Guinness’s usage among young UK adults saw a significant uptick in the second half of 2024 (see graph below). Usage is a part of the sales conversion funnel that measures how often consumers use products or services.

Guinness Usage Among Young Adults in the UK – 12 Week Trended Average

QuestBrand. 8/1/24-12/9/24. Base: UK Adults, n=1,227. Base: Gen Z, n=186. Base: Young Adults, n=524. Base: Instagram & TikTok Users, n=672.

In addition to young adults and Gen Z, there was a rise in Guinness usage among Instagram and TikTok users in the UK. This could be due to the viral trends featuring Guinness that have emerged across these two platforms.

On Instagram and TikTok, young adults are posting themselves taste-testing Guinness, and others are partaking in a “tilt test,” where drinkers tilt their glass of Guinness at a 45-degree angle to see the creaminess and quality of the pint.

Enough Guinness for Christmas?

Due to Guinness’s growing popularity among young adults, British pubs are facing supply stresses ahead of the Christmas season.

Guinness’s owner, Diageo, has begun rationing weekly orders in Great Britain due to the extreme demand. Although the company said they are working to manage distribution further and the rations are only temporary.

As the holidays creep closer, drinkers and pubs alike can only wonder if they will miss out on the gift of Guinness this Christmas.

With Guinness reaching new heights among young adults, it will be interesting to see if this growing interest will impact Guinness’s supply chain in the long run.