Canada Dry aims to spice up the ginger beer industry with a new product and campaign that emphasizes Gen Z’s taste for social interaction.

“The Right Amount of Spicy” drew on culturally relevant “spicy moments” for all campaign executions – the messages, “The Ginger Spice that didn’t peak in the 90s,” and, “If this Ginger got any spicier it would leave the monarchy,” can be seen on downtown billboards and digital ads.

“For this product specifically, we wanted to be ‘The Right Amount of Spicy’ capturing the essence of balanced spiciness that our Ginger Beer delivers, while bringing the heat in a fun and relatable way,” Ruben Beltran, brand manager at Canada Dry, tells strategy.

Beltran says that Canada Dry is entering a new segment with Ginger Beer, so the team wanted to be bold in terms of promotion and positioning. Canada Dry’s status as an iconic brand helps the campaign spotlight the new product on Canadian shelves, he adds.

“We knew that the audience segment for Ginger Beer is more niche than other soft drinks, so we made it a focus to communicate that Canada Dry Ginger Beer was not just for hardcore cocktail enthusiasts but anyone who wanted to elevate their at-home cocktail experience,” Beltran says.

The campaign is supported by OOH, digital and social media, as well as strategic collaborations with influencers. As part of the initial product launch, Canada Dry also ran a gift-with-purchase deal in which customers who bought a six-pack received a free copper mug.

Additionally, the brand launched a social game called Spice Breakers, in which users complete challenges such as allowing other players to watch their game on YouTube. The game is available through a Snapchat AR filter and Canada Dry’s Instagram and Facebook channels.

“The Spice Breakers game is a first of its kind for the Canada Dry brand and allows us to bring the fun and cheeky tone of the campaign even further,” Beltran adds. “We wanted to push the boundaries of our campaign by creating a game that really hits on the social aspect of our target audience’s lives and brought our ‘spicy’ positioning to life.”

LG2 led strategy and creative, Havas Media managed paid media, Mosaic handled shopper marketing and Craft managed influencer and public relations.