Newcastle Brown Ale

Newcastle Brown Ale, one of America’s fastest growing import beers, called on Formula to develop a consumer exposure program that would create a buzz around the brand and drive demand for the product at retail. Formula’s response: a combination of a grassroots street team initiative, dubbed “Smooth Operators,” and a comprehensive media relations and promotional campaign.

Challenges:

• Increase interest and awareness for an imported dark beer
• Tap into celebrity cachet to raise Newcastle Brown Ale’s hot factor
• Secure media attention for Newcastle Brown Ale outside the food and beverage area
• Get Newcastle Brown Ale premium items in key consumers’ hands

Strategy:

• Utilize the “Smooth Operators” team to capture the attention of consumers at retail and encourage them to sample Newcastle Brown Ale through an edutainment “Spin the Bottle” contest
• Conduct Hollywood outreach to identify celebrity sampling event opportunities and DVD releases for creating national promotions around
• Disseminate sports and lifestyle surveys on NewcastleBrown.com and publicize results to key consumer media

Results:

• “Smooth Operators” visited more than 3,000 accounts in 30 cities, ultimately enabling 100,000 consumers to sample Newcastle Brown Ale
• “Smooth Operators” distributed 100,000 Newcastle blinkie buttons, 150,000 key chains, 36,000 t-shirts and 36,000 hats
• Secured opportunity for Newcastle Brown Ale to serve as official beer at Radio Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, “Super Size Me” Oscar party, and Filter magazine Coachella Music Festival Party, among others
• Secured national Newcastle Brown Ale promotion tied into launch of “Office Space Special Edition with Flair” DVD release
• Secured media coverage in national media including Maxim, Los Angeles Times, and ESPN Radio, each referencing the brand and its online surveys

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