Authentic Japanese Lager.
Role
Concept Development
Art Direction
Copywriting
Design
Illustration
Animation
Finished Art
UNDERSTAND
The premium Japanese beer market made a name for itself by pushing Japanese made quality. However in more recent years more and more Japanese beer brands have moved brewing operations off shore, making it harder for Australian drinkers to find the Japanese-brewed beverages they’ve always loved. Pinnacle Drinks saw this as an opportunity to give Australian drinkers premium Japanese made beers and RTDs. This brand was called Monsutā, a homage to the kaiju culture in Japan, using giant sumo illustrations as the core brand asset. It offered a fresh and more youthful take on Japanese beer & RTD when compared to the traditional brands such as Asahi or Sapporo.
In July 2024 Pinnacle Drinks reached out to braincells to develop a refreshed above the line brand campaign to raise the prompted awareness of the brand amongst premium beer and RTD drinkers.
POSITION
While many brands offer Japanese recipes and heritage, Monsutā is one of the few that can give drinkers a true taste of Japan, because it’s made in Japan. So, we looked to develop a campaign that clearly established Monsuta as authentically Japanese while still having the same energy as the brand’s unique visual identity.
Brand Promise
Taste Japan.
Ideate
We landed on the line “Taste Japan” as a simple yet powerful call to action which clearly communicates the brand’s promise. Visually we then built off the campaign line utilising the brand illustrations, developed by brand & packaging agency Creative Platform, to create a whole Monsutā world to work as the brand’s visual representation of Japan.
An important element of this project was pushing the energy of the brand without losing the premium quality associated with the product. So, we looked to treat the illustrations as refined artwork with the inclusion of the kanji strip and border to elevate the look and feel of the brand. This style was pushed even further in the BVOD commercial, utilising a texture common in classic Japanese cinema.
PLAN / Implement
The campaign was rolled out nationally across billboards, adshells, point of sale, BVOD and digital, utilising media locations with a close proximity to BWS and Dan Murphy’s to try and drive up awareness for potential shoppers.
