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Sam Adams: From Dad Beer to Millennial Relevance

Sam Adams invented craft beer and owned the category for years.
But the notion of “craft” changed as younger drinkers came of age. 

For years, their advertising focused on the act and art of brewing, creating an older and stodgy brand. The beer of choice for a millennial’s dad, not the millennials themselves. 

Sales plateaued and Sam Adams recognized a need to make the brand relevant again.

The campaign is executed across social media, web and television.

Although not a perfect measure of success, $SAM is up 30% since the beginning of our relationship.

We fused the aesthetic of Toy Story with the music of Wu-Tang, in a Jamaican paradise, drenched in the refreshing taste of Sam Adams.

To make an emotional connection with consumers we turned the focus to the drinker. The message: Don’t worry about whether your glass is half full or half empty. Just fill it up.

The consumer insight leading the campaign was that millennials, advised to reach for the stars, have found the realities of adulthood far less inspirational. So we focused on moments big and small where overcoming adversity deserved a “cheers”.

 The campaign made its way into popular culture.

The campaign made its way into popular culture.