Jupiler has always been an activation-driven brand. If not for COVID, the spring and summer (Euro Cup 2020!) would’ve been another highlight opportunity for everyone to join in on the Jupiler experience. Jupiler didn’t have a specific target, but they did know that they were in a crunch. The Covid crisis had slashed their communication budgets (including media), but at the same time there was rarely a more important time to take action in an attempt to regain some of the lost beer sales and to show a positive brand image during the pandemic. Not in the least to support their partners: the bars, closed due to the lockdown. So - in short - a briefing with zero media budget and the bare minimum in terms of production budget, yet with high expectations when it came to taking responsibilities and giving Belgians some hope in these unprecedented times.

Your birthday is not lockdown compatible? Just postpone it!

Celebrating your birthday during lockdown due to COVID-19, that sucks. That means no party, no friend and no toast in real life to properly celebrate your birthday with the ones you love…

That’s why Belgium’s biggest beer brand, Jupiler, came to the rescue: inviting all Belgians celebrating their birthday during the lockdown to postpone it until after it!

On a dedicated website, Belgians born in March and April could choose a new birthday date and received, as a gift, free beers to drink in their favourite bar, once the lockdown was over (summer 2020)! And they supported the bar owners by doing so, as Jupiler paid them back all offered beers.

Simple.

An easy way to give some hope to all the unfortunate people who were celebrating their birthday during lockdown. And a little glimpse at our post-COVID social life.

As the biggest beer brand in a nation famous for its lagers, Jupiler targets broad: LDA (legal drinking age - 16) and over. Jupiler has also built its brand around responsibly sharing with friends. The joy of beer as a social occasion.

Therefore, we needed something universal, something that would appeal to such a broad demographic. And not only should it relate to a broad demographic, it should entice them to share with friends - and drive them to the bars, once possible again.

So, what’s more universal than a birthday? And what’s more universal than the disappointment of not having anyone around during that time?

As Belgian beer brand, Jupiler decided to use this feeling and turn it into something positive: the perspective of a post-lockdown social life. A way to give some hope and show brand’s engagement towards Belgians, during these hard months.

On March 14, Belgium entered into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 31, Jupiler launched “Postpone your Birthday”. Offering to all Belgian adults celebrating their birthday during lockdown the opportunity to postpone it until after it.

How?

On the dedicated website www.jupilerbirthday.be, Belgians born in March and April entered their real birthday date and proved it with their ID card (by uploading a picture of it on our platform). Then, they chose a new birthday date, after the lockdown.

As a gift, participants received 10 free pints of Jupiler – via a redeemable coupon received in their confirmation email – to drink in their favourite bar, once the lockdown was over (summer 2020)! So they could go celebrate with all their friends, making up for all the lost hugs and cheers. And they supported the bar owners by doing so, as Jupiler paid them back all offered beers.

In less than 24 hours, the activation hit an organic reach like Jupiler had never seen before in Belgium:

- 413K people reached (previous best post = 273k in a week)

- 6.3K comments (previous best post = 1.4k)

In total, Jupiler convinced 95.312 Belgians to postpone their birthday. That’s 13% of Belgian adults born in March & April. Among which more than 40.000 in less than 48 hours. Main national media talked about the activation, generating €458.597 of earned media. All this with zero media budget.

With 11.317 likes, shares and comments, and 99% of positive sentiment, it’s clear that Belgians were waiting for a positive brand communication in these unprecedented times.

Oh, and we almost forgot... AB Inbev liked the idea so much that they decided to run it as well in other markets: in South Africa (for Castle), Colombia (for Poker) and Canada (for Palm Bay).

Cheers!