At the last Rugby World Cup, Steinlager ran its white can campaign in recognition of an All Blacks fan that had held on to an unopened can of beer since the 1987 World Cup. The wait for glory finally ended in 2011 when the All Blacks finally lifted the trophy again, the can was finally cracked open and the Steinlager beer (well past its best before date) was consumed by one very patient fan.
This campaign, dubbed ‘we believe’, proved incredibly successful, leading to increased sales and slew of gongs at the Effie Awards. And since we are on the verge of the next edition of rugby’s biggest sporting event, Steinlager is bringing back its white cans and encouraging Kiwis to believe again.
The brand has only released a teaser campaign in the form of a outdoor ad on the North-Western motorway at this stage. And given the ongoing roadworks that result in traffic crawling through this region on a daily basis, the location is certainly a strategic move in that commuters will literally have a giant can of beer hanging over their heads, reminding them of what awaits them in the fridge at home.
The white can on the outdoor poster again carries the promise of the white cans, first produced in 1981 and then discontinued in 1992, returning to the shelf. However, Kiwis will have to wait a few weeks to get their hands on the cans, because the full campaign, which is set to include a hero TVC, will be only be launched in early august.
As has been the case at previously, the World Cup will again serve up an interesting promotional challenge between Heineken, which holds the event sponsorship, and Steinlager with the All Blacks. But this is contest that will undoubtedly take a backseat to the on-field action that’s set to kick off on 18 September.
