Budweiser UK Launches Knitbot, a Twitter-Powered Sweater Knitting Machine

Budweiser Knitbot

It looks like this year big brands have discovered the lowly holiday sweater, and have made it a part of their marketing campaigns leading up to Christmas. First out was Coke Zero’s Sweater Generator contest, where fans could create a mockup of a holiday sweater using the online tool. The 100 sweaters with the most votes will be produced and awarded to their creators just in time for the holidays.

Budweiser UK has launched a seasonal sweater-themed promotion in support of designated drivers. The brand is using Knitbot, a Twitter-powered knitting machine that responds to tweets that include the hashtag #jumpers4des.

The Knitbot will work around-the-clock for 10 days (November 26 to December 10) creating the red sweaters that include images of the Budweiser’s iconic Clydesdale horses. On December 11, designated drivers in the UK can apply on the Budweiser UK Facebook page for a chance to win one of the creations.

[via PopSop]

UK

Beer-brand Sol Tempts London Business Blokes with Necktie Recycling Bin

Sol Beer - Necktie Recycling Bin

In this stunt for Sol beer, London businessmen passing through Canary Wharf underground station do a double-take as they pass by a recycling bin labelled ‘Ties’. The bin featured the message, “Lose the Tie, gain some Espiritu Libre”. After depositing their tie in the bin, the sound of hammering and sawing could be heard from inside, before what was left of their tie appeared attached to a coupon for a free beer.

In The Drum article Graham Wall, executive creative director at The Marketing Store, stated: “The tie can be a symbol of power and success, but it can also be seen as a shackle, part of the daily grind. We wanted to give office workers back a sense of their true selves – to make bold choices and be rewarded for it. The Espiritu Libre activity brings out that free spirited sense of liberation that every bogged-down city worker has in his heart.”

The campaign was created by the London offices of The Marketing Store.

[via The Drum]

UK

Budweiser Seeks Name for Clydesdale Foal Featured in 2013 Super Bowl Ad

Budweiser Super Bowl Ad - Brotherhood

UPDATE FEB 4: AFter getting more than 6o,ooo suggestions, Budweiser revealed the foal would be named ‘Hope’.

The star of Budweiser’s tear-inducing 2013 Super Bowl ad titled ‘Brotherhood’ was still only 7 days old when the opening scene was filmed. Budweiser is asking their Twitter and Facebook followers to help name the latest addition to their iconic Clydesdale team, with the name revealed on the Sunday’s Super Bowl broadcast.

Some of the names include Brew, Comet, Skywalker, Cheers, Suds, Clydus and Sprunky Brewster. As of this morning over 11,000 people had contributed names on the Facebook post.

The connection between Budweiser and the Clydedales began on April 7, 1933, when six-horse hitches of champion Clydesdales were given a gift from August A. Busch, Jr. and Adolphus Busch to their father to celebrate the repeal of prohibition. Since then, the horses have been featured in over 125 Budweiser TV commercials, including 22 in the Super Bowl alone. Brotherhood will be the 23rd appearance of the team.

USA

New Guinness ‘Made of More’ Ad Features the Adventures of a Curious Cloud

Guinness: Made of More - Cloud

A new creative campaign from Guinness entitled ‘Made of More’, features the adventures of curious cloud who breaks away from being controlled by the natural forces around it. The cloud explores the city, sees it’s reflection in an office tower, has fun interacting with power lines and traffic lights, before bravely helps firefighters bring a burning building under control.

It’s a beautiful inspiring production, but there seems little, if anything in the ad tying the creative to a beer. It’s not until the end that we see the traditional product shot of a dark pint of Guinness, along with the campaign tagline, ‘Made of More.

The ad creative comes from AMV BBDO and was directed by Peter Thwaites of Gorgeous. Thwaites also directed a recent Sprite ad that camouflaged the actors until they disappeared into the background.

UK

Brewhouse Light’s Head-to-Head Cold Challenge Gets Nipply

Brewhouse Light - Head to Head Challenge

Brewhouse Light is an ward-winning beer, brewed by the independently-owned Great Western Brewing Company in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It was named the top Light (Calorie-Reduced) Lager in 2008 and 2010, and finished with a bronze in the 2012 competition announced back in June.

In this video, Brian and Colin present the first (in what may be a series) of head-to-head challenges between Brewhouse Light and other leading brands. Challenge one; which beer is the coldest. As Brian explains in the video, both beers were kept sitting trout-trap at the bottom of a glacier-fed creek for the past 6 weeks, and then kept on dry ice for the challenge. (well, maybe not really but I’ll play along).

It all goes along pretty well until Colin realizes that his nipples will be the ultimate indicators of coldness.

The campaign comes out of Vancouver agency Saint Bernadine Mission Communications Inc.

A Town Paints Itself Black to Celebrate ‘Arthur’s Day’ in New Guinness Ad

Guinness Arthur's Day Ad - Paint the Town Black

September 27th marks the fourth year for Arthur’s Day, an annual music event started in 2009 that celebrates the founder of Guinness, Arthur Guinness. In Great Britain this year’s performers include Tinie Tempah, Texas, Ellie Goulding, Example, Mika, Professor Green, Fatboy Slim and Amy Macdonald.

In the ad to be broadcast starting August 19, a small town transforms itself for the celebration by painting their homes, clothes and even a horse to match the distinctive black colour of a Guinness.

The ad was created by Saatchi & Saatchi London and directed by Daniel Wolfe for Somesuch & Co.

[via Diageo]

UK

Interactive Grolsch Video Invites Viewers to Text for Free Beer

Grolsch - Officer Jount

If you’re in the UK and you’re thirsty, you’re just a text away from claiming a free 4 pack of Grolsch courtesy of the stoic policeman Journt Von Deg, the most notorious police officer in the Netherlands. Journt makes criminals read their own rights and can make a perp sing like a canary with just the flare of a nostril.

Character speaks far louder than words, meet Journt at grolsch.co.uk and wait for him to flash his business card, then send him a text with your name to the number listed.

In the interactive video Officer Jount pulls out his mobile phone, looks down and your name appears on the screen. Jount then types back to you with a message a link to get your free Grolsch 4-pack.

[via PSFK]

UK

Just in Time for Canada Day – the Molson Canadian National Canthem

Molson Canadian National Canthem

I was kind of ‘ho hum’ about this video until I saw that drum kit constructed out of Molson kegs and beer cases. That was the moment that I rose up, stood on guard for thee, and did my best Neil Peart-esque drum-roll across the coffee table. But hold on, is that a didgeridoo of beer cans? Brilliance!

Yes, it’s true that we Canadians love our beer, but there are few things that quickly turn a Canucks smile upside down than an empty can or bottle of that beer. Thankfully these guys have taken all those empty cans, bottles and even the beer caps and brought them together to make the sweetest noise ever; the Canadian National anthem ‘Oh Canada’.

And, for those of you who are not fortunate to live here in the great white north, this Sunday is Canada Day. The day that we all finally shoo away the wolves and polar bears and kick back in our patios, decks and wharfs and raise a frosty ‘stagger-pop’ to the land of the maple leaf.

Canada

Wellington Craft Beer Competition Promoted By Beer Brewed in a Bus Shelter

Wellington in a Pint

Click photo to view album (photo fr. Wellington in a Pint Facebook page)

The folks at Wellington, NZ ad agency ClemengerBBDO have gotten together with the pubs of Craft Beer Capital and craft breweries Parrotdog, Tuatara, Garage Project and Yeastie Boys (best name ever) to try to capture the spirit of the New Zealand capital in the ‘Wellington in a Pint’ campaign.

As part of the campaign, Anderson Design created a special shelter on Manners Street, in which they placed a special 30 litre tank (with UV coating to protect it from the sun, and heating pads to protect it from cold) of wort to ferment. In the photo album caption they admit, “it probably won’t taste very good, so we’re calling it Bad Manners”.

Round 1 began in April, and participants were asked to submit their creative idea desrcibing Wellington would be via the website or on the back of special beer-mats. A few of the more colorful examples include “”Bohemian Armpit – flavoured with a hint of cumin and patchouli”, “Courtenay’s Tears – a youthful beer best drunk on a Friday” or “Black Umbrella – dark and blows you away”.

Round 2 is the creative brewing portion where home brewers can step up and make a beer of their own to submit. For winners will be selected by a crew of judges that includes local chefs, footballers, cricketers and New Zealand’s foremost doom, stoner-rock metal group ‘Beastwars'(!!)

Round 3 will see craft breweries Parrotdog, Tuatara, Garage Project and Yeastie Boys selecting one each of the winning beers, refine it and turn it into a professional craft beer for the beer-loving masses.

On June 27 the beers will be released to the thirsty public in Wellington, and yes, I just went and checked on flights to New Zealand ($2400 return from Toronto).

The campaign is brilliantly supported by social media, including a Facebook page, Twitter profile, Google Maps and Foursquare tip list.

New Zealand

Samuel Adams Uses Facebook to Crowd-Craft New Beer for SXSW

Samuel Adams “Crowd Craft Project” appSamuel Adams fans can have their say on the creation of a new beer by using the ‘Crowd Craft Project’ app hosted on the Samuel Adams Facebook page.

Fans can use the app to select the color, clarity, body, malt, hops and yeast for the crowd sourced brew, as well as learn more about the brewing process. The folks at Samuel Adams will begin the brewing process once the voting ends on February . 5th.

The beer will make it’s debut at Guy Kawaski’s Girl + Guy party on march 10 at the SXSW Interactive Festival, as well as select bars in Austin and Boston.