Cheers, joie de vivre
Simko Communication, a Geneva-based advertising agency, has launched a follow-up campaign for the French-speaking Swiss beer brand Cardinal following its successful repositioning—and once again, owls are flying through the night.
Beer market Following the successful repositioning of Cardinal, Simko Communication, Geneva, has developed a follow-up campaign for the French beer brand.
Beer brand launched - and owls fly through the night again.
Last year, when owls suddenly started peeping through bar windows and giggling as they commented on the (dank) cheerful qualities of the Cardinal beer brand, the campaign for the alcohol-free beer from the
brand Cardinal (Feldschlösschen Group) had a clear goal in mind: to anchor the brand in consumers' minds as a beer of friendship and conviviality. The creatives from the Rhône chose two of these nocturnal birds as "image carriers" for the beer.
This concept with the birds, which are considered wise, has earned the second-largest beer brand in Switzerland a lot of sympathy from the thirsty population and significantly increased its spontaneous awareness. "The focus has proven to be credible because it corresponds to the brand's French origins and thus to Cardinal's mentality," says Olivier Girard, Creative Director at Simko Communication in Geneva, with conviction.
The success was also reflected in the three prestigious awards that Simko Communication received for this campaign in 2002: The idea with the owls was recognized by consumers and readers of Werbewoche as well as Tele and Schweizer
The campaign was voted "Campaign of the Year" by the German beer magazine "Illustrierte", won the bronze medal at the Festival mondial de la publicité francophone and first place in the German yearbook of advertising for alcoholic beverages. The decision to continue a campaign with such a positive impact was therefore anything but beery.
Don't step out of lineThe strategy is based on a
consistent visualization and emotionalization of the Cardinal brand world. Cardinal is the beer that brings people together and conveys joie de vivre. The new TV commercial illustrates this with the idea of the well-known ska dance. In contrast to the old commercial, the owls no longer just sit on the windowsill outside the bar, but celebrate a lively party among the guests. At the end of the ska dance, they even lead the polonaise before the night birds on the terrace fly off into the night in high spirits.
The TV commercial advertises the non-alcoholic Cardinal. In the cinema, on the other hand, alcoholic lager is drunk. Poster subjects with different claims show various situations in which the Cardinal group is having fun - and of course the two feathered bipeds from last year's campaign are also involved. "At the same time, the subject builds a bridge to the important element of music for the brand," says Andrea Veit, Senior Brand Manager for the French beer.
No wonder, after all, the brewers are sponsoring concerts and festivals throughout Switzerland this year.
Andreas Panzeri
Beer brand launched - and owls fly through the night again.
Last year, when owls suddenly started peeping through bar windows and giggling as they commented on the (dank) cheerful qualities of the Cardinal beer brand, the campaign for the alcohol-free beer from the
brand Cardinal (Feldschlösschen Group) had a clear goal in mind: to anchor the brand in consumers' minds as a beer of friendship and conviviality. The creatives from the Rhône chose two of these nocturnal birds as "image carriers" for the beer.
This concept with the birds, which are considered wise, has earned the second-largest beer brand in Switzerland a lot of sympathy from the thirsty population and significantly increased its spontaneous awareness. "The focus has proven to be credible because it corresponds to the brand's French origins and thus to Cardinal's mentality," says Olivier Girard, Creative Director at Simko Communication in Geneva, with conviction.
The success was also reflected in the three prestigious awards that Simko Communication received for this campaign in 2002: The idea with the owls was recognized by consumers and readers of Werbewoche as well as Tele and Schweizer
The campaign was voted "Campaign of the Year" by the German beer magazine "Illustrierte", won the bronze medal at the Festival mondial de la publicité francophone and first place in the German yearbook of advertising for alcoholic beverages. The decision to continue a campaign with such a positive impact was therefore anything but beery.
Don't step out of lineThe strategy is based on a
consistent visualization and emotionalization of the Cardinal brand world. Cardinal is the beer that brings people together and conveys joie de vivre. The new TV commercial illustrates this with the idea of the well-known ska dance. In contrast to the old commercial, the owls no longer just sit on the windowsill outside the bar, but celebrate a lively party among the guests. At the end of the ska dance, they even lead the polonaise before the night birds on the terrace fly off into the night in high spirits.
The TV commercial advertises the non-alcoholic Cardinal. In the cinema, on the other hand, alcoholic lager is drunk. Poster subjects with different claims show various situations in which the Cardinal group is having fun - and of course the two feathered bipeds from last year's campaign are also involved. "At the same time, the subject builds a bridge to the important element of music for the brand," says Andrea Veit, Senior Brand Manager for the French beer.
No wonder, after all, the brewers are sponsoring concerts and festivals throughout Switzerland this year.
Andreas Panzeri
