Take the archetype of hot girls promoting beer, throw in a contest and top it all off with a reality TV concept and you’ve got a recipe for innovative new marketing territory.
When TV show Smallville hired one of Kokanee’s three Glacier Girls, Erica Durance, the beerco was left one girl short of a trio. Enter Grip creative partner Rich Pryce-Jones’ stroke of genius: recruit the replacement via a contest, and broadcast
a reality-TV-inspired micro-series chronicling the progress.
Kokanee national marketing manager Andrew Sneyd knew the idea was gold, so he teamed up with Citytv Vancouver to broadcast the five 90-second ‘episodes.’
The episodes aired five consecutive weeks beginning Feb. 18 during Jimmy Kimmel Live and other guy-friendly programs.
The campaign began at the end of November with recruitment calls and events. Sneyd hopes it will cement Kokanee’s place as the beer for the West. ‘We want to be part of the social fabric of B.C. and western Canada,’ he explains.
The judges’ panel included Olympian and Kokanee stuntwoman Tami Bradley while challenges included ‘Capture the Sasquatch,’ ‘Sasquatch Roping’ and ‘Improvisation with the Ranger.’
Feb. 25’s ep revealed Charlene Jackson as the new Glacier Girl. The remaining three will follow her progress starring in Kokanee’s next TV spot.
