We were asked to advertise Export Gold, a beer in steady decline for a decade. Instead, we released another beer. The problem facing Export Gold was that it had no history. It was seen as an out-of-date 80s marketing beer and the brand was dying. So we spoke to the head brewer. He told us the incredible story behind the very first DB Export brew - the grandfather of Export Gold - a story with heroes, villains, betrayal, rebellion, and the uprising of the common man; a story that had never been told. Our plan was simple, re-release the infamous first brew exactly as it appeared in the 1950s, and tell its story. And by doing so give Export Gold a history and a connection with New Zealand that it had never had before.

Our plan was simple, re-release the infamous first 1950s brew and tell its story. And by doing so give Export Gold a history and a connection with New Zealand that it had never had before. The day the vintage brew hit the shelves we released a short film about its creation and its humble creator, Morton Coutts. Everywhere we could have the conversation we did; press, radio, posters, online, on TV, in bars. Everywhere we told the story we connected Export Gold with the Original Export. We released interviews of people who knew Morton Coutts personally, and old timers who were affected by the Black Budget crisis of the 1950s. The campaign got major media attention, invoking a response from parliament, and featuring at TED. For the first time in almost a decade Export Gold sales increased, growing from 11.1% Volume Share to 12.9% in just 6 months. Without doing a single ad for Export Gold we revived the fortunes of the brand. Proof that every brand needs a good story.

Export Gold, a beer that hasn’t had a positive turn around in almost a decade, has gone from 11.1% Volume Share to 12.9% in just 6 monthsExport Gold’s low carb cousin, Export 33, has gone from 22.7% Market Share in December 2010 to 27.7% in February 2011.Overall the Export Family Volume Share has gone from 6.2% March 2010 to 6.7% in the total beer categoryThe DB Export Original Beer has a 41% Awareness of the beer with the target and an 8% Trial of the beer with the target