Molson Canadian is inviting any beer brands founded in Canada to “#MakeitCanadian” to recall a sense of pride in drinking brews made here at home, both through its marketing and by including them in its own two-four.
Today, Andrew and Geoff Molson wrote an open letter that ran as a full-page ad in the Globe & Mail, questioning why the most popular beer brand in the country was not founded in Canada (though not specifically named in the letter, Budweiser has been the top-selling brand in Canada for a number of years).
“As Canada’s oldest brewery with pride in our community, we’re on a mission to celebrate all Canadian beer brands this Canada Day,” the letter said. “We’re inviting fellow brewers across this country to join us in putting a spotlight on the great beer this nation has to offer.”
In addition to using its own website and social channels to support this mission by highlighting other brands, Molson has launched an integrated campaign – running on TV, print, social and online video – in tandem with a call for other Canadian brewers to be included in its two-four case to create “the most Canadian case of beer ever.”
The spot recalls Molson’s heritage, saying that if John Molson had to bring Canadians together, he would do it by raising a pint to “John, Alexander and the moose” – referencing John Labatt, Alexander Keith and Moosehead – as well to home brews, micro brews and the entire community of people passionate about making good beer.
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While Molson Canadian might still be best known for its “I Am Canadian” campaign from the 90s, Joy Ghosh, marketing director at Molson, said in a release that Molson as a brewery also has “a proud history” of bringing people together, and the company’s values have included building and nurturing communities since it was founded. Championing all Canadian beers is meant to “recall the pride for our brews” and make the sector in Canada more vibrant as a whole.
Brewers can sign up to be part of “The Canadian Case” on the campaign website, and social assets are encouraging consumers to nominate their own favourite brewery. Molson says no competitor brands have signed on just yet, but it will be doing its own direct outreach to brewers directly asking if they want in and that it is “expecting chatter and traction this week on who wants to participate.”
There will be real-time updates to the campaign based on brand participation. The case will eventually be available for limited-edition sale in select cities, working with third party e-commerce delivery partners like The Beer Guys to fulfill orders. There will also be new campaign assets to support the purchase of the Canadian Case in the select markets.
Molson is also donating $5 from the sale of every case (up to $25,000) to a local charity that is “supporting people and communities in need of a helping hand in this particularly difficult year.” However, it says it has not decided on which charity yet but is “weighing some options to see which will be the best suited and most aligned to our brand values to receive the donation.”
For #MakeitCanadian, Rethink handled creative, Citizen Relations is on PR, Wavemaker is handling media and We Are Social is handling community management. The campaign will continue to run through July.