Tag: Asahi Beverages

Australia – Sub Zero, a zero-sugar cola and vodka beverage has returned for Gen Z consumers with the ‘Thanks for Zero’ campaign. The launch comes 30 years after Carlton & United Breweries, now under Asahi Beverages, first released the drink.

Made in collaboration with VaynerMedia Australia, the ‘Thanks for Zero’ campaign captures the Gen Z identity. Portrayed through a house party, the campaign film shows their optimism and defiance.

With the use of sarcasm, the campaign serves as Gen Z’s message to older generations as they thank them for noise complaints and other problems. 

The campaign is set to be revealed through posters and social media platforms on Oct. 14.

The Sub Zero alcoholic cola has veered away from its original citrus-based flavour to cater to customers’ preferences. It is now available in bottle shops and will soon be on tap in pubs and clubs in Australia.

“Sub Zero is inspired by Gen Z – those looking for an easy-drinking zero sugar RTD with a refreshingly unpolished attitude. VaynerMedia Australia have an innate understanding of Gen Z, which made them the perfect partner to re-establish Sub Zero as a favourite for a whole new generation of great nights,” Ben Haysman, marketing manager at Sub Zero, said.

“Gen Z’s exasperation with the way things are hasn’t dimmed their sense of humour or thirst for life. Where they get especially frustrated is when people — and brands — pretend everything is all roses. So we gave them a chance to tell it how it is and say ‘Thanks for Zero’ to previous generations,” Nick Donovan, associate creative director at VaynerMedia Australia, said.

Philippines – Goodday, a cultured milk drink brand owned by Asahi Beverages Philippines which is distributed by Universal Robina Corporation in the Philippines, partnered with Appetite Creative, a creative technology firm, to create a vibrant and engaging linked packaging experience. 

The partnership allows the web app to track interactions in real time, including purchasing patterns, product preferences, average engagement times, location, scan rates, number of visits, number of return visits, and social media shares. Through the process, personal data that comply with GDPR is collected, enabling the business to enhance its marketing tactics and obtain a more profound understanding of consumer behaviour.

Additionally the partnership unveils a web app-based connected experience accessed through QR codes, registered customers of the Goodday drink smart packaging campaign can win instant rewards. One winner (out of three total) will be selected from each of the campaign’s major draws, and they will each get an all-expense-paid trip for four to Japan, which includes round-way airfare, lodging for four days and three nights, a one-day tour package, and spending money. Additional prizes include a Nintendo Switch Lite, fifty Goodday gift pack winners, P10,000 in GCash Credits, and P1,000 in GCash Credits.

Every Goodday 80ml and/or 350ml bottle variety, which is distributed in supermarkets, convenience stores, and sari-sari stores around the Philippines, is eligible to enter the prize draw. Goodday’s Facebook and Instagram social media accounts also provide access to the QR code. The campaign is expected to last through the end of March.

Speaking about the campaign, Hemalatha Ragavan, CEO at Asahi Beverages Philippines, said, “This campaign is designed to reward our customers with some amazing prizes. Goodday is always looking at creative and fun ways to engage and reward our consumers and this partnership with Appetite enabled us to do just that.” 

Meanwhile, Jenny Stanley, managing director at Appetite Creative, said, “Connected packaging offers brands fun ways to interact directly with customers. From instant rewards and competitions to education and inspiration the opportunities are truly unlimited. It’s great to see the Goodday brand tap into this versatile media channel.”

Australia – The soft drink brand Schweppes by Asahi Beverages is introducing a new generation of Schweppervescence with the launch of a new brand platform, with the collaboration of Clemenger BBDO. 

The positioning of ‘A Sip for your Senses’ and the first campaign are inspired by the various bubbles that awaken the senses before the first sip when you open a bottle of Schweppes. 

The above-the-line campaign will also introduce Australia to Schweppes’ new brand visual identity, which will be implemented across all product lines in November 2023.

The campaign presenting the new brand platform began on November 11th and is set to run until 2024 across TV, VOD, OOH, Spotify, and in-store.

Speaking about the campaign, Lauren Fildes, general manager of marketing, Asahi Lifestyle Beverages, said, “Schweppes is all about awakening the senses. And we want that feeling to come to life in everything we do – even our communications. So, we set out to create a campaign that’s as much of a sensory experience as our product. Each touch point within this campaign, from the film to the audio ads to the street posters, is designed to make you imagine a place where your senses are instantly ignited.

She added, “We want people to feel the iconic Schweppervescence feeling the moment they see or hear the work.” 

Meanwhile, Clemenger BBDO Group creative director Ant Phillips, said, “Jacob Schweppe was a pioneer in carbonation, bringing fizzy magic to the everyday experience of drinking water. In launching the ‘A Sip for your Senses’ platform, we wanted to celebrate this magic by showing that each and every bubble within a bottle of Schweppes contains its own sensory world of wonder.” 

Melbourne, Australia – Marketing communications company Clemenger BBDO Melbourne has hired a new general manager Scott Balalas for its business account, beverage company Carlton & United, which includes Asahi Beverages as well.

Balalas’ appointment coincides with Clemenger BBDO Melbourne’s recent work Victoria Bitter, a part of Asahi Beverages in Australia, for its VB Solar Exchange Program, which incentivizes Australians for their extra solar power energy with free beers from Victoria Bitter.

Speaking about the campaign back then, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne executive creative director, Jim Curtis, said, “I couldn’t be more proud to see one of Australia’s most iconic brands leading the way and showing the rest of the world an innovative economic model between brands and consumers.” 

The campaign comes after Asahi Beverages was acquired by Carlton & United Breweries last year. The program is part of Asahi’s ambitious sustainability agenda, which includes a goal to be powered entirely by 100% renewable energy by 2025. 

Balalas comes from creative agency 72andSunny in New York, where he has more than 15 years of local and international experience having worked at agencies including Anomaly, Havas and BMF.

“It has been awesome to watch from afar as the advertising industry in Australia continues to make its mark as one of the world’s most creative markets. Clemenger BBDO Melbourne continues to be at the forefront of that movement. In discussing the agency vision with Jim and seeing the creative firepower Clemenger is attracting, I’m incredibly excited to be part of the team,” said Balalas.

Jim Gall, CEO at Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, commented, “Wherever Scott goes, great work consistently follows and I am confident this will continue with CUB. We’re looking forward to Scott leading our relationship with the brewery and helping to foster sustained growth through world-class creativity.”

Melbourne, Australia – Locally-brewed lager Victoria Bitter, a part of Asahi Beverages, is bringing a new campaign to its Australian market: free beers in exchange for excess solar power generated by households.

Conceptualized together with advertising agency Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, the campaign called ‘VB Solar Exchange’ allows households to sell off their excess solar power to energy retailer Diamond Energy, and Power Ledger, a blockchain-powered software platform that facilitates the Solar Exchange program.

This then allows participants to exchange credit on their power bill – obtained from generating excess solar at home – for Victoria Bitter. Every AU$30 worth of credit can be exchanged for a slab of beer, which is then delivered straight to their door.

“Last year we put the Australian sun to work and started brewing VB with 100% offset solar energy. Now we’ve launched this program to thank those who have made the effort to go solar with some hard-earned VB,” said Brian Phan, general manager for marketing Victoria Bitter.

He added, “The only thing better than drinking the Big Cold Beer in the Aussie sun is earning beer while you do it. Plus, it’s a real win-win for beer lovers and the environment.”

The launch of the program follows Asahi Beverages’ acquisition of Carlton & United Breweries last year. The program is part of Asahi’s ambitious sustainability agenda, which includes a goal to be powered entirely by 100% renewable energy by 2025.

Victoria-Bitter-Solar-Exchange-Campaign-Energy-Bill-Checking
(Left) The dashboard of the Solar Exchange program where customers can check how much beer they have earned; (Right) The Solar Exchange as advertised in an electric bill.

Customers who sign up to the program can track how much beer they have earned based on how many solar energy credits they have exchanged with VB, with slabs being delivered each quarter.

Speaking about the campaign, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne executive creative director, Jim Curtis, said, “I couldn’t be more proud to see one of Australia’s most iconic brands leading the way and showing the rest of the world an innovative economic model between brands and consumers.”

Victoria-Bitter-Solar-Exchange-Campaign-OOH-Advertising
(Left) Static OOH advertising of the Solar Exchange program; (Right) Digital OOH advertising of the Solar Exchange, which shows an estimation of how much beers can be earned based on the weather condition.

The campaign has rolled out nationally with a TVC, animation that explains the program, social, digital, a national PR campaign, and dynamic OOH that displays how much beer Australians could be earning based on the weather in each state.

Manila, Philippines – Asahi Beverages has collaborated with marketing consultancy Entropia in the Philippines in its first-ever immersive virtual launch in the Southeast Asia region.

Asahi Beverages’ product, Goodday Cultured Milk, was launched on the platform MootUp for Zoom, where press, dealers, and the brand teams all over from Japan, Malaysia, and the Philippines are connected in an immersive virtual event.

Over 200 participants joined the event, and were treated first to virtual worlds such as  Japanese-inspired Airport Terminal, an outdoor-themed conference hall where the main presentations were held, an intimate Zen garden, and a mini Japan town. By utilizing Moot, the event did not only engage participants, but also unified them, mimicking a physical gathering with people moving around and interacting with one another.

According to Hemalatha Ravagan, Asahi Beverages Philippines’ CEO and head of international business development and exports, the Goodday Cultured Milk virtual launch was the brand’s first foray into the Philippine market.

“After more than two years spent on research and development to perfect the formulation for Goodday, we are elated to introduce a cultured milk drink that we believe every Filipino would enjoy every day. Since COVID-19 has placed restrictions on face-to-face launches, we had to adapt and tap into consumers’ changing habits as well as their curiosity to connect in the digital space,” Ravagan stated.

Online participants were also treated to performances brought by Filipino bands Up Dharma Down (UDD) and Autotelic. 

“Goodday is a proud product of Japanese innovation, and we want to launch it here in a big way. The challenge for this launch is to get people from Japan, Malaysia, and the Philippines together for a fun and different experience. Thankfully, our partners in Entropia Philippines knew what to do,” said Karl Bustos, Asahi Beverages’ head of operations.

In a statement, Kaye Enriquez, partner and chief analytics officer of Entropia Philippines said the recent virtual event is an experience that responds to ‘people missing traveling and bonding with other people’.

“Through the use of available technology, we wanted to create that experience – one that is immersive where they could actually feel like they are traveling and having a good day, while learning about the new Goodday brand,” Enriquez said.

Meanwhile, Entropia Philippines’ Principal for Creative Services Hans Malang added, “While the platform is readily available via the use of Moot, we had to add new 3D layers to complement the immersive experience of this created new virtual world.”

Entropia Philippines is the first international expansion office of Entropia Global based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.