B
ecause of our past experience creating music driven promotions that feature indie bands and artists for brands like Pepsi and Amp Energy Drinks, The Marketing Arm recruited us to help launch the Pabst Sound Society for their client, Pabst Blue Ribbon. We accepted that challenge — to disrupt 21 to 25 year-old shoppers in digital and physical worlds — and we made that radical program sing.
Research and Insights
Our work began with the primary and secondary research provided to us by Pabst specifically for this campaign. After extracting strategic insights from their research, we turned our own research lens on the artists.
The Marketing Arm provided a short list of artist candidates to consider for the program. We took that list and ran with it, digging into each artist to understand their appeal, not just from a music perspective, but from a storytelling perspective.
Our campaign hinges on the likability of each artist. We used social proof as our leading measurement for selection. We then applied that same criteria to a broader search for the best talent with the best stories.
With our Pabst Sound Society group of artists selected, we turned our attention to the retail space and the bars and restaurants. We conducted ethnographic research into the buying habits and patterns of beer drinkers, looking for alignment with their music interests.
We found consumers in stores with mobile devices and headphones, ready to listen to our music. In bars and restaurants, we discovered opportunities for music installations that create value for the bar and the customer.
Creative Solution
With likability as our primary strategy, we developed several concepts that not only elevated the artists appeal, but were designed to give the consumer an altruistic feeling of accomplishment. Finally, we increased the availability of the Sound Society by adding QR codes to the packaging for free music and music playing activations in the store and on-premise at bars and restaurants.
PROMOTIONS. We turned buying a beer into an act of altruism. Now when shoppers choose PBR, they’re choosing to support a musician in need.
PACKAGE DESIGN. To reinforce the Indie cred of the musicians involved, we explored a variety of ways to celebrate the artists without exploiting their art. And we included QR codes on the packaging to give everyone a taste of Pabst Sound Society music they were supporting.
IN-STORE DISPLAY. Standing out in the retail space is vital to the success of this campaign. So we created murals with the packaging and breadcrumbs to attract shoppers. Posters and banners gave shoppers online access to listen to the Pabst Sound Society.
ON PREMISE DISPLAY. Retail isn’t the only place where we can reach beer drinkers. We extended our campaign into bars and restaurants with surprise and humor. We created jukebox-like installations with touchscreens so bar-goers could browse and listen to the music they were supporting.
Outcomes
As a result of our groundbreaking work, we helped build a platform of success for the Pabst Sound Society. All across the country, new bands and artists enjoyed dramatic increases in attendance to their individual venues. And Sound Society sponsored events became the catalyst for a critically acclaimed concert series. Most of all, our artists received the funding they needed to bring their music to the audience it deserved while Pabst enjoyed major spikes in beer sales in all markets.