Summer is when the barley grows, and it’s also when Canada’s national brew gets enjoyed outdoors. So Molson Canadian has launched a mobile app designed to strike up a conversation around summer “achievements” and award virtual badges, which are posted to the user’s Facebook page.
Badges range from frivolous (eating tiny donuts) to significant (building a dock), with four ways to earn them. Some badges rely on self-verification, explains John Francis, brand manager, Molson Canadian: “Tiny donuts, for instance – if you love ’em, you should get the badge.” Other badges must be verified by a friend, by a photo or by geo-tagging to prove attendance at venues such as the Molson Amphitheatre. Each badge counts as an entry to win one of 16 cross-country trips.
Francis says the “Seize the Summer” social media contest links to the “Made from Canada” platform launched late last year. “Our beer connects to this land [and to] the freedom that the land provides. In the summer, we wanted to encourage people to go out and enjoy that freedom.”
The contest was first promoted through Molson’s email and mobile database, and the brand has added a Facebook URL to its TV ad for the first time. The app was available first at the Android store, followed by BlackBerry and Apple. Creative was by Crispin Porter & Bogusky Canada, MyThum Interactive developed the app and Mediaedge:cia did the media buy.