Fresh and Raw

VB RAW has been launched and I have to say I respect their advertising tact. It is educated and it has adapted to social media trends and best of all, it is respecting it's target consumer. Super short surveys to assist in their data collection with the promise of some free beer (upfront as a promotion for a new, to-be-launched beer) is the simple starting point. Promise delivered as not only did I (and punk monks Raen, Davey and Kate) receive some free beer but an elaboratively presented 6-pack delivered to my door (not once but twice as I was not home the first time) with an invitation for more in return for feedback.

VB Raw is very "now" with all natural ingredients, targeted at under 30's and not bad tasting (certainly better than VB original). Production Design is always enough to win my heart: each bottle wrapped in lush green tissue paper with stickers and in a recyclable printed box! Snail mail gifts tickle everyone's fancy, no?

It seems the war for the most original marketing campaign is on and beer is where it's at. The recent birdsvshumans campaign targeting blogs and sites popular and culturally significant locally, has WOWed Punk Monk's in Sydney as AWOL MONK'S blog was specially selected. Again with beautiful production design, personally created boxes with clues and links, and cryptic graffiti cleverly located around the town a follow the white rabbit/choose your own adventure live game is born with intention: figure out the product to be launched. In this case it's Toohey's 5 Seeds alcohol cider.

Read about the truth about birdsvshumans in its latest phase courtesy of Vic at AWOL MONK here.

This emerging innovation of marketing via the prompting of word of mouth promotion is right up my/Punk Monk's ally. Interaction and involvement is the way of the future, as TV ratings continue to dwindle, internet networking thrives but even more so as diy taken to a street level is continually revived, both have culminated to form a super breed of information sharing and experimentation with "Your Kind Needs You" as slogan.

Whilst both beers tasted okay and had some cool ideas behind their marketing, they set the precedent for better developed ideas in the future (and some nicer looking bottle design). They succeed merely by the fact that people like myself are using the forms set out to advertise them, to re-advertise them- twitter, facebook and blogging. Though I question myself assisting big brand names such as VB and Tooheys (that I don't even really drink) but inspiration appreciated!

Thanks for the free drinks!