Molson’s “I Am Canadian” no longer reflected what it means to be Canadian. So, it worked with Rethink to reimagine the platform and invite “Everyone In.”

This story was originally published in the 2023 fall issue of strategy magazine. 

When your brand is deeply interwoven with the cultural zeitgeist of a nation, it can be an incredibly risky proposition to pivot. For many companies, such a feat is eagerly pursued, but rarely achieved. Finding the winning formula is about as unlikely as being struck by a bolt of lightning, let alone it happening twice. 

And yet, that was the goal for Molson when it departed from its iconic “I Am Canadian” platform – launched two decades ago – and introduced “Everyone In” with a spot featuring Drake’s “One Dance” and a diverse depiction of today’s Canada. 

Developed by AOR Rethink, “Everyone In” was built on the belief that the brand has “a responsibility and an opportunity to reflect what it means to be Canadian in 2023 and, in doing so, refresh big beer marketing in Canada,” Leslie Malcolm, senior director of marketing for Molson and global brands told strategy at the time of its launch.

The supporting commercial showcased many of the establishments where Molson can be consumed across the country – not just pubs, but also pho restaurants, salsa clubs and drag brunches. The goal is to show the breadth and diversity of Molson’s consumers, the brand’s full portfolio of beverages, as well as the modern-day Canadian consumer, said Malcolm.

The new positioning didn’t just come out of nowhere, though. It had been brewing for some time at Molson, with the brand’s research into consumer attitudes revealing that Canadians on the whole had shifted away from celebrating the virtues of individualism, and toward celebrations of “plurality, unity and togetherness,” says Malcolm.

“Everyone In” also marked the culmination of a three-year brand revitalization plan that kicked off in late 2019. The corporate strategy was intended to help strengthen Molson’s core brands in key markets – including Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and Croatia – and entailed aggressively premiumizing its portfolio with new product innovations that go “beyond beer”; investing in its digital initiatives, marketing effectiveness, sales efforts and sustainability programs; as well as supporting its people and communities where it operates globally. 

Molson’s new platform features a spot with Drake’s “One Dance” and a diverse depiction of today’s Canada.

“The intent [behind the strategic plan] was not only to cement our legacy but also to foster innovation and align with the modern-day drinker,” says Sophia Lal, senior brand manager for the Molson and Miller trademarks. She adds that “Everyone In” was a pivotal platform for the company during this revitalization stage, as it significantly invested in Molson as “a core power brand.” The platform essentially allows the company to champion its various product labels, while keeping Molson at the centre. “There was the realization that we are stronger as the sum of our parts,” says Malcolm. “We’re making sure for the first time ever that the Molson trademark plays the hero role.” 

Of course, there will be moments where brands under the Molson umbrella will take the lead, adds Lal. Among those moments, she cites occasions such as Dry January, where it has brought forward low- and no-alcohol options such as Ultra and Exel. Another example is an experiential activation in Toronto where it invited Canadians to trade leftover foreign currencies from recent vacations for one of its brews – Canadian, Ultra, Export and Exel. And the company will continue to champion Export in Quebec, where it has a big presence. “But, as a general guiding rule, you’ll see the Molson trademark, because it’s the way that we bring ‘Everyone In’,” says Lal.

When repositioning the brand, the challenge was moving away from “I Am Canadian” without squandering the equity the platform had helped build. “There is a really delicate balance of celebrating the heritage and legacy we have and the role we’ve played in Canadians lives for so long, while also recognizing we needed to evolve and modernize,” says Malcolm. 

Rethink, which has worked with the company for the past decade, brought a depth of understanding about the brand and “felt the importance, as we do, of celebrating the heritage,” says Malcolm. “The long-standing relationship we have means they understand how we need to modernize the brand.” 

Consumers could trade leftover foreign currencies for beer in the “Molson Exchange.”

The “Everyone In” platform has been embraced by both consumers and employees, which makes sense seeing as Molson is “a brand that people within and outside of our organization feel ownership and pride over. People value what Molson has stood for and represented in Canadian culture,” notes Malcolm. Lal says she has even noticed more Molson merchandise being sported around the office. “There is a lot of swagger and pride. We get feedback from our sales teams that every time they see the spot, they still get goosebumps.”

The enthusiasm shown by its employees has been mirrored by consumers, with Molson seeing a 4% volume growth over the prior year and a 8.4% jump in revenue, Lal says. The brand is also up in market share by half a point over the previous year. “There is a real, palpable energy behind the brand,” Malcolm noted, adding that this is only the first year of a multi-year approach, but “the fact we’re able to translate this strategy into sales results is something we’re very proud of.”

Molson’s “Everyone In” platform allows the company to wrap its various product labels under a single unified umbrella, so that consumers know “there’s a Molson with your name on it.”

Ultimately, while the message is different, the brand’s grandest ambition remains unchanged.

“Our mission has always been to make a beer all Canadians are proud to drink, and that remains the focal point of what we aim to do with Molson,” says Malcolm. “‘Everyone In’ was about galvanizing Canadians – there was clearly an intention to galvanize our employees, partners and customers. I’m proud that we have begun to do that, but the next step for us is not just talking the talk, but beginning to walk it and show up in the world, in front of consumers, for key cultural moments in Canada.”