Summer’s back and so is our annual edition of beer wars. Reminiscent of the hip hop wars between Tupac and Biggie, this year’s matchup has the East Coast throwin’ down against the West Coast. It’s Keith’s versus Kokanee and here to break down this battle of the nationally-available brews is Justin Kingsley, VP special operations at Montreal-based Bleublancrouge and Sharon MacLeod, brand building director, Dove and skin care at Toronto-based Unilever Canada.

From the Westside: Kokanee

Ding dong, the Ranger’s dead. That’s the reality Kokanee had to face when it was developing a response to last year’s “Ranger Live or Die” effort. How fitting that the new positioning focuses on living in the moment and enjoying life to the fullest – an attitude that consumer insight told the brand was a key component to the active western Canadian lifestyle.

“We developed it absolutely with our target consumer in mind,” explains Richard Fortin, national marketing manager for Kokanee. “Kokanee’s a brand that’s adventurous, lively, youthful, exciting, from B.C.’s mountains, and ‘It’s all About Now,’ brings that to life.”

The new push is delivered with a 30-second TV spot (airing only in Western Canada) also appearing in cinemas, online ads including 15-second video pre-roll and a redesigned website, Kokaneebeer.ca. The creative by Toronto-based Grip is an idealized, visceral depiction of the western Canadian lifestyle, shot from the viewer’s POV.

Kokanee also updated its packaging with help from Kokanee drinkers and beer enthusiasts who had their say via Facebook. Three shortlisted options were put up on the brand’s fan page and elements from the resulting fan feedback were incorporated into the final design.

From the Eastside: Alexander Keith’s

Keith’s newest campaign has the brand doing something different, leaving behind the Maritime Man and the talking bust, to get back to consumer insight basics. Determining that authenticity is what’s relevant to consumers these days, and borrowing from the idea that Alexander Keith held true to his beliefs when it came to brewing beer, Keith’s came up with its new “Hold True” positioning.

“We’re not so focused on getting the laughs as we are with generating the emotional bond with the consumer,” explains Jamie Humphries, marketing director for Alexander Keith’s. “And I think on that level this campaign is working the hardest.”

The creative, which was developed by Toronto-based Publicis, is centred on two 15-second TV spots that focus on gents who’d rather stay true to themselves through simple choices like refusing to pop their collar in an attempt to look cool or acting like “Mr. Popular” by talking on their cell phones at the pub.

On top of online video, static ads and cinema spots, this new Keith’s effort includes a refreshed, more contemporary look to its packaging that still holds true to the brand’s heritage. Keiths.ca was also redesigned to reflect the new packaging and positioning while focusing more on the story of Alexander Keith and the variety of Keith’s beers.

OVERALL STRATEGY – Keith’s vs. Kokanee

Kingsley: The problem is that these campaigns are less Biggie Smalls against Tupac and rather MC Hammer going up against Young MC. Kokanee, for example, doesn’t give the West Coast feel it promises. It delivers party, bikini and extreme sports for a very, very, very cooooold beer, which makes it very Coors Light. Keith’s on the other hand, while not introducing anything earth shattering with its work, stays true to, well, staying true.

MacLeod: There is nothing more authentic than the Maritimes – the Keith’s strategy fits for this down home beer. And if the target gets even an inauthentic whiff from a friend, he calls BS on him. Kokanee’s gets to the core of what is the “desired state” for this guy: adventure, living in extremes and doing it now. A very motivating strategy.

KOKANEE’S NEW PACKAGING

Kingsley: The packaging looks refreshing and coooold, but the ad has bedrooms, bike trails and hot tubs. Where is “glacier fresh” in the ad? It does make me thirsty; they get a thumbs up for trying to get the people involved using social media, but again, where’s the glacier?

MacLeod: The packaging definitely owns its space of “extreme mountain adventure.” The case design looks like a cold beer in the mountains. How much more perfect could it be?

KOKANEE’S ADVERTISING

Kingsley: They missed the bus. They missed the bus. Get it? Okay then… The fast-paced Kokanee lifestyle doesn’t come across legitimately. It feels like it’s trying too hard. Watching the spot made us feel like Tupac is kicking eight balls instead of taking hits from the bong. Very Vanilla Ice.

MacLeod: Any guy who has been as far west as Blue Mountain will love the ad. He experiences his ideal weekend boiled down. It’s incredibly exciting to watch.

KOKANEE’S WEBSITE

Kingsley: It’s the best part of the campaign. It’s packaged rather slickly, definitely reflects the ad, there’s lots happening and it allows the surfer to witness the brand promise. A nice job. And aside: lots of girls in bikinis, which both Tupac and Biggie liked, but [didn't] respect. So maybe one day, beer brands will showcase some Missy and Mary J. kind of women instead of big booty hoes.

MacLeod: You feel like you are there, literally waking up for a wild adventure. The Mountain Bashes featured on the site tell it all.

KEITH’S NEW PACKAGING

Kingsley: They did a nice job differentiating between the three brands. In addition, the old-school look is consistent with the rest of the campaign; the blanche looks very drinkable and, as DJ Nico here said, “looks like it tastes good, which is good.”

MacLeod: The packaging has a retro feel. It is a great accessory in the hand of a guy who values authenticity, and most do.

KEITH’S ADVERTISING

Kingsley: The spots trigger a reaction from the consumer right off the bat. The characters are clear, the spots are well written and curiosity gets the better of you. In addition, there is a consistent beat from spot to spot. Definitely East Coast.

MacLeod: The advertising isn’t particularly funny and is very passive, particularly for the target. Says more about what Keith’s isn’t than what it is.

KEITH’S WEBSITE

Kingsley: There’s lots of info, as promised, on Keith’s website. There’s background, a brewmaster and a connection to the core Keith’s drinker. What’s missing is a connection to the TV spots. No bridge, which is unfortunate. Makes the strategy kinda Swayze.

MacLeod: The website screams authenticity and heritage, giving the brand real credibility. The only trouble is, not many people are likely to see it based on the other elements.

GLOSSARY

They missed the bus = A reference to the track “I Missed the Bus” (1992), performed by the rap group Kris Kross.

Swayze = A reference to actor Patrick Swayze in Ghost, a metaphor for invisible, or, to leave or disappear.

Big booty hoes = The scantily-clad women typically seen gyrating in rap videos, that also happen to have large derrières.

New advertising creative by Kokanee launched this week with a big nod to Western Canadians’ penchant for life in the moment. The new campaign, “It’s all about now,” follows last year’s “Ranger Live or Die” initiative, which saw more than 600,000 consumer votes and the ultimate demise of the Ranger. The new campaign is vastly different from the Ranger’s humour- and cast-driven creative. The new high-energy push reflects Kokanee’s brand positioning and the active lifestyle of Western Canadians.

The creative was developed by Toronto-based Grip, with media handled by M2 Universal. Thirty-second TV spots and 15- and 30-sec cinema spots airing in Western Canadian markets only, are scheduled to launch during hockey this week. The 30-second TV creative is, according to Grip creative partner Scott Dube, “a visceral depiction of what Western Canadians told us they aspire to be. Everything is filmed from the consumer’s point of view – so it really allows our target to imagine themselves in the spot and experience everything first-hand. There’s so much energy, you can’t help but want to run outside and grab a snowboard, ride a bike or even shoot hoops.”

Online, 15-second pre-roll ads will also run. “We know that our consumer is spending more and more time online,” Richard Fortin, national marketing manager, Kokanee tells MiC, “so in an effort to reach our target consumer, we have a very comprehensive online buy.” The campaign has two five week flights – now and in the fall – for TV; cinema has an eight-week flight in the late summer early fall, and its online component will run throughout the year.

Kokanee is also changing its packaging in conjunction with the new campaign – with Facebook fans responsible for the final design. The top three designs from numerous rounds of consumer research were posted for Facebook feedback, with hundreds weighing within a two-month time period. Based on the feedback and in conjunction with its own research, the packaging, which hasn’t seen a facelift since 2002, now features contemporary graphics, featuring an energetic “snow kick” on the classic Kokanee glacier.

Developed to reflect the high-energy and active lifestyle positioning of the Kokanee brand, the new design retains brand features such as the iconic “k” in the wordmark, as well as the sasquatch (bet you can’t find him!), while amplifying refreshment cues.

The new packaging design launched in British Columbia on May 25, and will arrive in Ontario in early July.

See our case study for more images and information about the Kokanee packaging design project.

“Building on the success of the inaugural 2005 vintage, our 2006 VIEW OLD VINES BRUT sparkling wine was awarded GOLD at the Ontario Wine Awards gala on May 8. This follows the recent second-place finish at Cuvée 2009 and SILVER at the Canadian Wine Awards.” (excerpt from the Maleta Winery Summer 2009 newsletter)

While we can’t take credit for making such great wine, we are always excited about our clients’ successes, and very proud of our association with Maleta. We would like to congratulate them on their most recent awards, and wish them all the best with their new vintages.

Follow the link to see more of the wine label packaging design we did for Maleta.

Comparison of the old (left) and new (right) Tropicana packaging. The new packaging has been pulled and the old design restored as a result of consumer backlash

PepsiCo has announced that they’re pulling the packaging redesign of Tropicana orange juice, less than a month after it’s launch in January of this year. Negative customer feedback has prompted the return to the old packaging design, as customers called the new packaging “ugly”, “stupid, and “generic”. More troubling is that customers complained about not being able to as easily distinguish between varieties (pulp, no pulp, etc.) or from their competition.

First, hats off to Tropicana for innovating. It is always a risky proposition to introduce a revolutionary packaging design for a beloved brand. It’s far easier to make minor changes year-in, year-out to keep the packaging current and either hold steady or gain incremental market share, but sometimes a radical redesign can make a big impact on the numbers – in a positive way.

However, there are some valuable lessons to be learned here.

One of the things that Tropicana has spent years building equity in is the idea of the straw tapping the orange. This speaks volumes about the freshness and real quality of the Tropicana offering, and is one of the things conspicuously absent from the new design. It is also one of things that disgruntled Tropicana fans missed in the new packaging. Neil Campbell, president at Tropicana North America, admits that they had underestimated the emotional attachment of consumers to the straw and orange. One would think that some diligent market research could have avoided that mistake, and given cause to rethink their redesign strategy.

One of the most notable differentiators for the Tropicana product line is the way in which it distinguishes between varieties; I can pick out the “no pulp” version from three aisles away. Dropping such a strong design element that customers relied on to find their OJ was a major no-no. Again, research into the key identifiers of their product on shelf could have discovered this valuable information.

At the end of the day, credit should be given to PepsiCo for listening to their core customers and reverting back to their old packaging, although that does open a whole new debate about the value of the court of public opinion when trying to innovate. Historically, innovative ideas have been met with public opposition and outcry from the vocal minority: resisting the urge to appease the masses has led to some incredible discoveries over the years. In the modern era, feedback is all too available, and comes in many forms, almost instantly. Time will tell if the Facebook-ification of focus groups will help or hinder the progress of design. For now, I’m just happy that I can find my OJ.

“Cascade today announced the release of Cascade Green – a low carbohydrate, preservative free, 100% carbon offset beer.
Cascade Green, a full flavoured Lager, has been brewed entirely at the Cascade Brewery from locally produced ingredients. Packaging has been designed to minimise Greenhouse gas emissions, including a light weight glass bottle featuring a high recycled content. The 100% recycled carton has been printed with two-colour biodegradable vegetable inks.
“Environmental sustainability has long been important to Cascade Brewery. We’ve made improvements to our operations over the last ten years and we’re committed to doing more. We’re really excited to be launching Cascade Green and in doing so, provide Australian drinkers with a greener beer choice that tastes great,” said Cascade Marketing Manager, Ben Summons.
The greenhouse gas emissions associated with Cascade Green are offset. Cascade Green has achieved Australian Government Greenhouse Friendly certification and is among only a handful of products approved under the Greenhouse Friendly Program (GFP). Cascade Green has undergone an extensive, independently verified Lifecycle Analysis and also has an Emissions Monitoring Plan in place to meet the ongoing commitments required of GFP members.
“Reducing our carbon footprint makes good business sense”, said Foster’s Sustainability Manager, Scott Delzoppo. “The work completed to understand and reduce the carbon footprint of Cascade Green is an important input into our continuing group efforts to reduce our global greenhouse gas emissions.”
Cascade Green has initially purchased certified carbon offsets for the Hobart Landfill Flare Facility, approved under the GFP and developed by AGL Energy Services, and will continue to purchase offsets on an ongoing basis.”

Source: The Dieline

Congratulations to Maleta on these notable achievements, and on their continued success. The Winery has also recently become part of Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake. As one of our earliest clients, we always enjoy hearing news of Maleta Winery’s achievements…almost as much as we enjoy their wine!

Click the link to take a peek at the beverage packaging design we developed for Maleta.

To read more about this project and to see our work, click here.