Simply Spiked is connecting generations through common emoji misunderstandings.

The Molson Coors RTD brand has invited older Canadians to text a hotline, 1-855-691-GENZ for advice from their Gen-Z counterparts to using the right emojis, rather than ones that can be misconstrued, such as a peach meaning a posterior.

The creative plays with the common “drink responsibly” idiom for alcohol and beverage advertisements, replacing “drink” with “peach.”

Simply Spiked was available in the Canadian market for the first time last year, seeing significant year over year growth. Molson Coors brand director of flavour and innovation portfolio, Stewart Yepes, says that given it’s already a known commodity, Simply Spiked had the opportunity to be a bit more cheeky and fun connecting with consumers in a different way.

Yepes explains that Simply Spiked conducted a survey to better understand how well older Canadian friends fare in their text conversations using emojis. They found that that 96% of Canadians aged 60 or older don’t think of the double entendre when they see the peach emoji. The survey also showed that one in three Gen-Z Canadians have received an inappropriate text through a poorly placed peach or eggplant emoji.

Yepes tells strategy that as the category has evolved, it’s attracted a younger buyer, but consumers aged 40 or above represent half the consumer base. He adds that the audience has a different RTD category roadmap, with younger consumers switching from non-alcoholic, and the 40-plus set coming from conventional beer drinking.

“A lot of different players are seeing that the market has been growing, as it’s a space where there is a consumer need for it, with changing lifestyles and taste preferences,” Yepes explains.

Smirnoff, Mike’s Hard, Black Fly and Palm Bay are the top players in the category, and Yepes says Simply Spiked is aiming to grab the third spot with the brand’s new three-SKU launch, which includes Signature Peach, Strawberry Peach and Kiwi Peach flavours.

The campaign is socially led, and includes OOH over-indexed to urban centres in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec. There is also retail display program, with assets by shopper and sampling agency partner Publicis’ Arc Worldwide, with summer being targeted as the key focus area. Creative, production and PR was handled by Citizen Relations, with Wavemaker on media, and Volt on social.