As the summer season swings into full gear, Bacardi is re-launching its Breezer coolers in new re-sealable, environmentally friendly plastic bottles, with a new campaign and summer concert initiative to promote them.
Alicia Liebregts, group brand manager for Bacardi, said consumer research revealed most of its customers consumed Breezers during the summer at outdoor activities like camping, cottaging, or lounging around the pool.
And in those summer situations, glass can be hazardous, clunky, and inconvenient, she said. “Glass is heavy, and it breaks.”
The plastic bottles can be recycled just like glass bottles but are also 33% lighter which means reduced emissions when transporting.
Bacardi began shipping the plastic bottles in January and completed its transition by the May long weekend. Now that the transition is complete, the brand is launching a campaign to let consumers know about the new bottles. Bacardi bought transit ads in Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton, and purchased a series of ads in national print magazines that target its 25- to 29-year-old female demographic like Elle, Flare, and Hello.
Bacardi also began a cross-Canada promotional tour on June 19 at the first Canadian Virgin Music Festival concert in Montreal. At each Canadian date the company will be setting up Break-Free Zones—complete with seating, shade and samples of new Breezer flavour. “We’re trying to bring the cottage to music festivals,” said Liebregts.
To maintain its environmentally friendly stance, the company is also ensuring its festival sites are carbon neutral.
“Our consumer certainly is very environmentally conscious…. It’s a trend we see come up often,” said Liebregts. Bacardi chose the Virgin festival as its experiential marketing initiative this summer because it provided a chance to meet with consumers at an outdoor event ideal for its target.
“Their demographic is spot on with ours,” she said.
As part of its summer Breezer promo, Bacardi is also giving away two cottage getaways for Labour Day weekend.
Consumers in Western Canada can win a weekend at a cottage in Tofino, while those east of Manitoba can log on to Bacardi’s website for the chance to win a weekend in Muskoka. The weekend package comes complete with a yoga instructor, a gourmet chef, spa treatments, and limo transportation to and from the cottage.
