Guinness x Creative Equals x D&AD.
Strategy. Copy. Content.
Guinness - From a drink for middle-aged guys to a drink for all
The Brief
Winning a place on Creative Comeback, run in association with D&AD, was a highlight of the year for me. Working in a team of three - alongside two art directors - we tackled Guinness’s need to double their event drinker numbers across diverse demographics while reinforcing their established brand platform of optimism. The challenge was extending beyond their traditional male-dominated audience without diluting the brand's distinctive character.
The Strategy (Spine)
We developed an approach that shifted Guinness from a drink shared among mates to a drink for celebrating life's meaningful moments. Rather than focusing on the product itself, we positioned Guinness as a way to toast the good things in life, particularly the simple joy of time spent together.
The Voice (Soul)
The language moved away from masculine bonding narratives toward inclusive celebration. We created social media and activation content that invited people to "raise a glass to the good stuff" – making Guinness the accompaniment to moments of genuine connection rather than the centre of attention.
The Brand Connection (Heart)
By connecting Guinness to life's small but wonderful moments, we tapped into a universal emotional territory that transcended demographic boundaries. This strategy maintained the optimism platform while making it more inclusive and relevant across different audience segments.
The Impact
By focusing on shared human experiences rather than specific lifestyle associations, Guinness became a drink for celebrating life together, not just a drink for the guys.
My Role: Strategy development, social media content ideas, activation planning.
In Action: View the whole pitch deck here.
In week two of Creative Comeback, run by Creative Equals, we were divided into teams, given a mentor and handed a brief.
The challenge? How to create a Guinness brand experience that would double the number of drinkers, amongst a broad demographic, at any event, and build on the brand platform of optimism?
Our idea was to use events to get people to raise a glass of Guinness to the good stuff in their lives; the small but wonderful things that still give us cause to be optimistic – spending time with each other.
The campaign would be co-created with event-goers using the hashtag #tothegoodstuff.
The campaign would mirror the three stages of Guinness enjoyment - anticipation, enjoyment and sharing memories.
Guinness anticipation - calling out the friends who help us anticipate events in style.
Guinness at the event - celebrating all the small moments that make an event so memorable.
Guinness at the event - creating shareable entertainment including “pout” competitions and pint meditations lasting 119 seconds (the time it takes to pour a Guinness).
Guinness at the event - an interactive Surge Screen featuring an intermittent Guinness pour. Post using the hashtag #tothegoodstuff to get an alert when a pour is happening. Event goer points their phone at the screen at the end of the pour to win a free pint.
Post the event - Good stuff never ends. Guinness shares all the #goodstuff on the Monday following events, celebrating the memories with gratitude.