SweetWater
While I was at Dagger, I served as a lead creative on the SweetWater account with my partner, Amber Worrell. As the Agency of Record for the brand, we had already launched several successful campaigns. But then came a big one: launching their new sub-brand of 420 Strain.
The first beer in the lineup was 420 Strain G13 IPA, named after a legendary strain of cannabis. How do you market a beer that smells like weed (but isn’t) in a culture where marijuana is illegal on a federal level?
We concepted and crafted a campaign to drum up buzz, raise awareness, and ultimately drive sales of this new brew in social. With a five-phase approached, we created a hugely successful and robust campaign that included SweetWater’s first ever Facebook Live video, a secret Facebook group, and more.
View the full case study here.
the Announcement
To announce SweetWater 420 Strain G13 IPA, we hosted a Facebook Live event featuring a dark bar. We teased the event with several Facebook and Instagram posts, encouraging people to tune in at 4:20 pm on June 18, 2018.
The idea was simple: the more likes and interactions, the faster the lights would come on to reveal the new beer. Within just a few minutes, we had thousands of fans watching.
the Underground
We leaned into the taboo of 420 culture with the 420 Strain Underground, a secret Facebook group for superfans. Invite only. After the livestream, The Dealer invited everyone who interacted via a Facebook message. We encouraged people to invite their friends.
The Underground served to give members an exclusive look at 420 Strain. They were the first to know when and where the beer would be available. They would eventually get to taste new strains before anyone else, get swag, and more.
The group amassed hundreds of members who post on their own and organically interact with the brand on a regular basis.
