In Canada Guinness has meant stout since the 1960s, but that is set to change with the launch of Guinness Black Lager.

The roasted barley-based beer, which will be available in 330 ml dark amber glass bottles across Canada will be launched with a TV, print and OOH campaign set to launch in mid-June. With media by MediaCom, creative from TraffikGroup and experiential from Vibrant, the campaign will make a bold statement that Guinness can be a lager while still staying true to its roots, Geoff Kosar, marketing director, Guinness Canada, tells MiC.

TV spots in the campaign will run on conventional and specialty, print will have a national buy that will be targeted at metropolitan areas with a focus on long weekends during the summer and OOH ads will run in the Toronto/GTA. Experiential tasting events will be held in store and at bars across the county, as well as at beer festivals.

Kosar says the new launch is targeted at beer drinkers who are looking for variety, one of the reasons craft beers have been successful in the US and Canada.

TV, print and OOH ads in the launch campaign will run to the end of the summer, with experiential elements launching Guinness Black Lager staying in market until the end of November.