For the 2018 World Cup Brazilian beer brand Skol ran a surprise campaign aiming to boost support across the smallest nation at Russia 2018 – Iceland.
The brand offered free beer to Iceland with one condition: if they beat Brazil’s South American rivals Argentina in their 16 June World Cup opening group game.
As far as the Brazilian beer brand, Skol, was concerned, there was lots of support for Iceland on June 17.
Despite being the country with the smallest population to enter the competition, the beer brand launched a campaign for Brazilians to increase their number of supporters.
Why?
The beer brand argued that Brazil and Iceland are the two roundest nations on the planet: both being famously optimistic, progressive and happy.
Plus, the two nations have a special connection and a strong rapport through their shared term for a drinking toast: ‘Skal’ in Iceland is pronounced ‘Skol’ in Brazil.
But, of course, it’s really the long-time Brazil/Argentina rivalry that sits behind the campaign.
The initiative, which was developed in harness with Skol creative agency F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, crossed the Atlantic and activated in Iceland through outdoor and print work.
These posters and newspaper ads aimed to bring the two sets of supporters together and were further supported by a digital campaign strand led by an online video,
plus content pieces posted acros its social channels such as Instagram, Facebook
and Twitter.
É G, é O, é, L, é gol dos amigson! O choro é livreson, adversários#GoTeamIceland #TamoJuntson
Beba com moderação.
Não compartilhe esse conteúdo com menores de 18 anos. pic.twitter.com/6VASrOHVE6— Skol ↻ (@skol) June 26, 2018
“It was a happy coincidence for us to be able to share with debutants Iceland such important characteristics for the brand,” explained Skola marketing director Maria Fernanda Albuquerque
“And this way we can participate in the topic of the moment in a truly authentic manner for Skol”.
Comment:
A fun, tongue-in-cheek campaign built on the age old cliché that ‘my enemy’s enemy is my friend.
The neat idea behind the campaign slightly falls down when you realise that many nations around the world have their own versions of the term Skol.
While Iceland didn’t manage to beat the mighty Messi and his Argentina team, they did manage a highly impressive 1:1 draw – so they beer brand kept is promise and bought the nation a round.
We like the tone and sentiment behind the work, but it isn’t the first time a beer brand has bought a round for another nation’s supporters. Back in 2011 for the Ashes, Cricket Australia sponsor Victoria Bitter was forced to ‘Shout The Nation’ when England beat the Aussies in the Ashes (see case study).
Links:
Skol
https://www.youtube.com/user/skolweb
https://www.facebook.com/skol/
https://www.instagram.com/skol/
