SITUATION: In November 2023, the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico's capital city, imposed a ban on alcohol sales after 1 a.m., cutting into the time when Puerto Ricans are typically just starting their night. Not only is this law an affront to local culture and nightlife, but it's also bad for bar owners and bad for our brand. Over 35% of La H's sales come from on-premise establishments such as bars, which reported a dramatic 50% drop in sales after the law's passage.

BRIEF: Create a movement to protest the law in the name of local nightlife culture and business owners affected by the mayor's curfew.

OBJECTIVE: Defy the mayor's unpopular and unjust curfew and position La H as the champion of local nightlife, local bars, and late-night fun.

Our brand identified a loophole in the law: only hotels were allowed to sell and serve alcohol after 1 a.m. Our goal was clear: exploit this vulnerability to create buzz towards overturning the regulation. Recognizing the exemption for hotels, we set out to create our own hotel to bypass the government's own ruling, so we partnered with a local hotel willing to offer its space for what would become an epic and entirely legal after-hours celebration at our LoopHotel.

The PR strategy for LoopHotel was designed to generate widespread attention through a rebellious, but good-natured act of 'civil disobedience' designed to defy the mayor's senseless curfew, build a stronger bond with iconic bars and small businesses in San Juan, and generate conversations about La H's bold (but legal) circumvention of the law.

While much of the brand's content adopted an edgy and rebellious tone, outreach to the press focused on telling the story of a local beer brand stepping up to save the city's nightlife. By transforming a hotel into a hub for the city's iconic bars, La H not only preserved the nightlife but also positioned itself as a champion of local culture and business.

After three months of hard work and endless legal paperwork, La H successfully opened its own hotel, joining forces with five iconic bars affected by the law. We recreated the atmosphere of each bar within the hotel's walls, providing consumers with an authentic taste of what San Juan's vibrant nightlife was like prior to the curfew. In turn, these bars could continue selling beer late into the night.

Before the big opening, we sparked anticipation through sneak peeks and influencer partnerships. We created a reservation and "check-in" system through Instagram, encouraging dedicated night owls to defy the city's mayor in a uniquely subversive after-hours experience. On opening night, lucky winners checked in and hopped from room to room, reveling in the festivities with a La H beer in hand. During this period, the brand regularly published recaps on social media, generating buzz, praise, and considerable debate among city residents.

La H strengthened its market presence by throwing one hell of a party while standing up for Puerto Rico’s culture and economy. Simply put, LoopHotel is a unique brand experience that became far bigger than the sum of its parts: an act of protest, an anti-establishment gathering, an after-hours hangout, and a party for the ages.

Results:

• Half a million in earned media

• 1.5 million impressions

• +140% spike in conversations about that law

• Bar sales bounced back by 35% during our activation