With nearly 150 years of brand equity, Coors knows a thing or two about legacy — and it’s helping entrepreneurs leave their own in a local adaptation of a North American campaign.

The beer company is celebrating its sesquicentennial by offering a “Legacy Lift,” with a Dragons’ Den-style elevator pitch for a chance to win $40k in funding, the typical/average dollar amount spent by a startup business in a year. It’s based on the idea that all business legacies have to start somewhere.

“We want to inspire other people to start their legacy,” says Leslie Malcolm, senior brand director at Molson Coors and a Coors Original Legacy Mentor.

The idea is around putting focus on the grit, passion and determination that lays the foundation of creating a legacy. “This is the start of the ‘Legacy Lift’ campaign, and our intention is that…we continue to find ways to encourage Canadians,” adds Malcolm.

During the pandemic, many brands were backing budding entrepreneurs but, according to Malcolm, a lot of that sentiment disappeared as lockdowns eased. Coors Original is bringing the movement back by looking for businesses that are founded in Canada and have the potential to make a lasting impact on their communities.

Eligible Canadian business owners are being invited to apply for Coors Original’s Legacy Lift grant by submitting a 150-second video about their business and how they plan to build a lasting legacy on its dedciated website by end of day, tomorrow.

Five finalists will be selected to travel to Toronto on Sept. 6 to share their elevator pitch with Leslie Malcolm, for a chance to win the Legacy Lift grant, along with a 1:1 virtual mentorship session with Executive Chairman of Coors Spirits Company, David Coors himself. It gives business owners the potential to pick the brain of someone who’s helped build a business.

In North America and in tandem with Canada’s “Legacy Lift,” Coors Original is also running its “Start Your Legacy” creative campaign through the summer until September. It features a strategic media mix of OLV, social, Spotify podcasts, and OOH in Calgary and Toronto.

Part of fueling interest in the beer category, Malcolm says, is continuing to show up in relevant ways and playing an impactful role in people’s lives. “This is a specific, localized brand act that we’ve been able to keep our dollars efficient on,” she says, in order that the prize funds available are maximized.

Wavemaker supported the media buy with VOLT handling social and DDB out of the U.S. assisting with creative development. Citizen is providing PR support.