Backus & Johnston, seeking to diversify its beer portfolio in early 2013, entrusted us with the end-to-end development of a new brand: Backus Ice.
Our mandate encompassed brand creation, strategic direction, launch campaign development, and full content execution. In addition, we were assigned comprehensive strategic planning responsibilities for the brand’s first management cycle (2012–2015).
The challenge was to position a new entrant within a highly competitive category while clearly differentiating it within the existing portfolio and the broader market landscape.
We conducted in-depth research to identify compelling symbolic territories that could strengthen the brand’s value proposition: the beer brewed at the coldest production temperature.
We then strategically aligned this differentiating attribute with a powerful seasonal consumption moment — summer — transforming “extreme cold” from a functional claim into a culturally relevant experience.
Based on this insight, we developed an integrated communications platform executed across ATL, BTL, and digital channels, designed to:
Anchor the brand in a distinct sensory territory
Leverage seasonal relevance to accelerate trial
Build rapid awareness through high-impact launch visibility
Engage the target audience with creative executions tailored to each touchpoint
The result was strong early market traction. During its first year, Backus Ice achieved 1.3% market penetration, a significant milestone for a newly introduced brand within a mature and competitive category.
Strategic Planning & Content Marketing
2013 – 2014
Tribal 121
Circus Grey
