The brand challenge was to build an emotional link that would result in consumer response to Lech communication.

The generic category of lager beers in Poland have on one hand international brands like Heineken and Carlsberg that are associated with great fun and parties, without emotional attachment. On the other hand there are Polish brands connected with classic pubs, football games with patriotic and archaic undertones, which young people have enough of and don’t relate to.

The challenge was to infuse consumers with brand purpose to progress, achieve and maintain positive nature and make them believe in it.

The first step was to create the brand hero Leszek Chmielewski in ATL and BTL communication to create awareness. We launched the new series of Lech Premium Lager beer bottles and cans and changing brand name to Leszek, a diminutive of the given name Lech (as in Robert-Bobby). The main line of communication was created with 3 different TV spots. In addition we supported the Leszek story in OOH and Digital.

After this we could start to get the response from our consumers. Though it was impossible to meet “real Leszek Chmielewski” in person, our consumers started to show “where did they meet him”. Everyone loved this game and caught it really quick and our consumers without any contest or price winning promotion were doing selfies with Leszek beer and #leszek everywhere they went.

Main success was that after the campaign we increased volume shares in Q1 of 2014 vs Q4 of 2013 with the highest ever 13,9% volume growth, which never happened before (Q1 vs Q4 of previous years). With that achievement we finally stopped the loosing trend of volume shares since Q2F10 on avg. -2,5% per quarter.

Also we increased FB fan base by 45 thousand new fans and were the best fan page in beer category in Poland in terms of fans’ activity.

However, the biggest success was that we generated the response of over 116 million impressions, partly by our consumers sharing and using #leszek, and we were able to see how our brand could participate in their lives, travels, success, creating the emotions and unique bond.