International CPG Brand Activism

The Beginning

As the number one beer brand in Costa Rica, Cerveza Imperial was no stranger to success. And while they enjoyed a strong presence and reputation in the United States, there was more market share to command. But how do you get restaurant owners to carry something new? How do you get beer drinkers to try something new?

Project Type

PR + Messaging

Sectors

Consumer Services, Alcohol & Beverage

Skills

Community, NGO, Media & Government Relations

The
Strategy

Leverage Cerveza Imperial’s socially responsible nature with audiences motivated by beer and a positive environmental impact.

Refine Imperial’s “water-positive” message and leverage it across Colorado to increase sales. Create relationships and partnerships with non-profits and government leaders that create far-reaching media coverage.

Deepen awareness across the market with participation in beer festivals and community events well-covered by the media.

93% sales increase in sales

$1 million in media coverage from the river cleanup alone

32 broadcast segments in 12 markets, including networks such as FOX, CBS, and Telemundo

Media reach of 93,810,105 including Food & Wine, Uproxx, Boulder Weekly, Denver Post, and Westword

Powerful partnerships and long-standing relationships with state environmental leaders and government officials

The
Results

The Story

The process of making beer requires a considerable amount of water and is not environmentally friendly. Many consumers understand this reality, wish there was a better way, and are motivated by products that have balanced their environmental impact. This is where Cerveza Imperial really shines.

Based in Costa Rica and neighbor to the rainforests, they are uniquely aware of their impact on the environment and designed a “water-positive” manufacturing strategy to offset their water impact 100%. Rather than using ten gallons of water to produce one gallon of beer (as is the case with many manufacturers), they effectively use none.

Imperial retained Volume to refine the message and leverage it across Colorado to increase sales, given the state’s love of nature. The strategy focused first on creating relationships with Colorado water conservation non-profits, so Imperial was not just impacting water issues in Costa Rica but in their audience’s backyard.

The rivers of the Rockies became their cause and touching the consumers and media around them in meaningful ways. They partnered with the Colorado Water Trust to add water to the Yampa River. Then they shared news of the Yampa project and their core water-positive message at summer beer festivals and with media around the state.

To activate the city of Denver, Volume developed a partnership for Cerveza Imperial with the Mayor’s office that made Imperial the title partner for “Denver Days,” the Mayor’s annual community-wide summer cleanup initiative. Imperial volunteers kicked off the event with a cleanup at the confluence of the South Platte and Cherry Creek rivers in the heart of downtown Denver. Meanwhile, every registered participant in Dever Days across the city was given a Cerveza Imperial yellow shirt for the day with ways to enjoy a Cerveza Imperial at nearby bars or restaurants after all their hard work.

The results were nothing short of amazing. Because Volume not only created unique media story angles, but tied in to such powerful community events connected to the Mayor’s office, the campaign included 32 broadcast news segments in 12 markets, including networks such as FOX, CBS, and Telemundo. The print and online media coverage reached 93,810,105 including features in Food & Wine, Uproxx, Boulder Weekly, Denver Post, and Colorado’s leading alternative paper, the Westword. $1,000,000 in media value was measured from just one single event. And sales increased 93% across retail accounts and consumer sales, cementing Cerveza Imperial’s importance and place in the market.