Peroni Nastro Azzurro is looking to show Canadians that they don’t need to be physically in Italy – the brand’s home country – to enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean coast. The company, owned by Asahi Europe and International, is rolling out a 360-degree campaign that highlights the launch of its new low-alcohol beer in Ontario.
The “The Taste That Takes You There” campaign comprises both digital and point-of-sale advertising (OLV), as well as OOH spots (boards) near LCBO stores where the new product, Peroni Nastro Azzurro Stile Capri, will be available. Peroni will also set up tasting pop-ups at several LCBO locations in May. Customers who buy the beer will receive a limited-edition Peroni Nastro Azzurro Stile Capri beach towel as a gift. All ads will feature the new product in a branded clear bottle for the first time, with a beach and sun background.
“To further extend our reach and generate consumer awareness, following launch we will be engaging with Ontario-based influencers through a Capri-inspired mailer to demonstrate how Peroni Nastro Azzurro Stile Capri allows you to escape the every day and embrace a vacation state of mind,” Asahi Canada head of marketing Katie Wright tells MiC. “Consumers are spending more time connected to digital platforms. When determining our media plan, our strategy was centered around meeting consumers where they would interact with the brand naturally, finding an important balance between digital and OOH media.”
According to Wright, the media mix will help the brand reach the product’s target, a new audience of younger beer drinkers looking to consume lower alcohol by volume (ABV) products.
“The world of beer is changing for new generations, with many opting for lower ABV options that they can enjoy in more sociable and informal settings,” Wright says. Research firm The IWSR, for example, published a report last year showing that there is a trend toward conscious drinking in Canada, especially among millennial drinkers. The study also revealed that the no/low-alcohol category is forecast to grow globally 6% between 2023 and 2027, led by non-alcoholic products at 7%.
“Building on the success of the recent launch of Peroni Nastro Azzurro with 0.0% ABV, we know consumers are seeking more lower, to no ABV products, and Peroni Nastro Azzurro Stile Capri addresses that need with lower ABV (4.2%) offering,” says Wright, adding that the company saw an opportunity because of the lack of variety of low-alcohol beers on the market, even though it’s a category with growing demand.
“There’s a perceived lack of brand innovation in the low or no alcohol sector, with the current global category of easy drinking limited to U.S. and Mexican brands,” says Wright.
The new beer has already been launched in Italy, the U.K., Ireland, Romania, Hungary and Australia, backed by a global campaign.
Pomp & Circumstance handles PR. Epitaph Group handles media buying in Canada, while agency Trouble Maker handles creative.
