Molson Breweries unleashed its Red Dog beer in Ontario with an ad campaign that breaks out of the traditional beer campaign mould.
In the multimedia campaign, which broke earlier this month, there are no bikinis, tight jeans, partying or cowboys for the German-style beer that blends an Old World top-fermenting traditional ale with a lager.
The star of the advertising for this beer, which has an alcohol content of 5.5%, compared with 5% for regular strength beer, is Red Dog, a bulldog with attitude – and a distinctly Texan accent.
Gene Lewis, vice-president business development, with Molson, says the brewer wanted to avoid stereotyping or typecasting the Red Dog drinker, so he says advertising is more attitudinal than demographic.
It focusses on those who see themselves as leaders and like to express their independence.
The campaign, from the creative team of Stephen Creet and Michael McLaughlin at mbl/bbdo, Toronto, began with billboards and posters around Toronto with just a picture of a red bulldog.
The outdoor preceded the May 16 launch of the beer by a month.
As well, prominent full-page newspaper ads will run through the summer, along with three 30-second tv commercials, with a fourth to come, and four 30- and 60-second radio spots.
Molson sums up what it says is the individual nature of the beer and its drinkers with the tagline, ‘You are your own dog.’
In one tv spot that takes place at a dog show, Red Dog watches the others perform and reinforces his individuality with the comment, ‘I don’t jump through hoops for nobody.’
The voice of Red Dog is u.s. movie actor Tommy Lee Jones.
Red Dog and its advertising will roll out to the rest of Canada throughout the summer.
