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When Stewart’s Enterprise Holdings, Inc. licensed the rights to manufacture and distribute Hard Rock Hard Seltzers, they reached out to us because of our successful experience in the RTD space. Licensing an established legacy brand comes with its challenges – respecting a brand’s history while evolving and taking advantage of a current day opportunity.
Roles
Research
Consumer Segmentation
Discovery & Strategy
Branding
Packaging
Communications
Creative Direction
Production
Deliverables
Marketing & Branding Strategy
Branding & Art Direction
Copywriting & Brand Voice
Videography & Photography
Digital Presence
Website Design & Development
Social Media Strategy
Brand Launch
Client
Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos
Company Type
B2C / B2B
Adult Beverage/RTD Beverage
Hard Seltzers
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THE CHALLENGE
With Hard Rock’s involvement the new hard seltzer brand was an opportunity to begin shifting the brand perception and capture new consumers. Our ask was to find a balance between what the legacy brand stood for with the areas it could evolve.
THE SOLUTION
Research showed that loyal Hard Rock fans were baby boomers who embraced the rock-an-roll lifestyle and partied hard when they partied. Data also shows that the hard seltzer audience is younger and seeks healthy-for-you options with bold flavors. The one thing these two groups share is love of music. The key to success was capitalizing on that overlap to engage the loyal Hard Rock advocates to put down their beer and try hard seltzer while capturing a younger audience’s attention and bring them into the Hard Rock fold.
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BRAND LAUNCH CAMPAIGN
THE BIG IDEA
It was on us to find a way to connect those pieces together. Although Hard Rock was known for music, the parent brand had actively focused on more lifestyle messaging to appeal to a broader audience. Being mindful of the work the brand had been doing we needed to find a way to take the love of music, the lifestyle messaging, and identify white space for the hard seltzer brand to live.
EXISTING BRAND EQUITY
Being respectful to the legacy of Hard Rock, we captured the vibrant energy of the brand and updated it to attract our broader audience. Brand messaging was articulated to hit on the key hard seltzer touch points while addressing a shift in perception of the Hard Rock brand for consumers who were familiar with it but didn’t see themselves in it. The packaging with updated to articulate the full-flavor profile yet remaining light and refreshing.
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From there we created the campaign “we’ve got your taste” as a call back to the brands legacy mixology focus at their hotels and casinos. We paired that with music lyrics and genre’s that spanned generations, specifically quips that didn’t look like they belonged together but represented bringing people together. We designed and built a mobile first website with the sole purpose of conversion to online purchase or in-store traffic. An integrated campaign was created to shift brand perception articulate the key product differences within the category.
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RESULTS
B2B Sales
The branding evolution and marketing support led to key retail accounts picking up and supporting the brand (ex. Walmart, Publix, Food Lion).
Consumer Growth
Messaging saw a lift in brand awareness and initial trial with target audience, as well as providing Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos the ability to attract and connect with a younger demographic.
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Credits: The Team
Creative Director: Kent Bishop
Strategic Planning Director: Miles Marmo
Art Director and Designer: Larry Fulcher
Designer and Producer: Braden Schlegel
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