James Ready beer wants drinkers across Ontario to crack open a bottle of beer – and a smile – as part of a new integrated program by Extreme Group.
“The James Ready Hometown Throwdown” program is an effort to fuel both hometime pride – and jovial rivalries – between towns across the province.
One part of the program is focused on packaging, and incorporates shout-outs to more than 70 cities – from small (Moosonee) to large (Toronto) – under the caps of James Ready 5.5 beer bottles. The humorous captions feature personalized nods to each community. For instance, the cap that references Toronto reads “‘The Big Smoke’ AKA Our Mayor” and the one for Paris says “The Second Most Romantic Paris in the World.”
The program includes a digital component that builds on the packaging element and fuels the friendly competition between towns. Callouts on the cases and labels direct drinkers to James Ready’s Facebook page. There, they can contribute suggestions for phrases about their own hometowns. Or, they can use the page to suggest a caption that takes a jab at other cities. (One ‘Cap-tion of the Week’ featured on the Facebook page reads “Cornwall: Home of the 30 year old grandma.”)
The program is an opportunity for James Ready fans to show their hometown pride and have fun with the brand, said James Ready director of marketing Katie Wright in a release. “It was designed to increase fan base, encourage engagement and build loyalty,” she said.
When consumers visit the brand’s Facebook page to throw in their cap suggestions, they’re entered to win a party for themselves and 20 friends – a “Hometown Throwdown” that will be customized to their community. The throwdown will include live music, food and – of course – lots of James Ready 5.5. Entrants from any town can win, and can enter once a day.
