The introduction of a restrictive curfew in San Juan threatened to extinguish the city's vibrant nightlife and the livelihood of its bars, crucial sales channels for La H beer.

Identifying a loophole exempting hotels from the curfew, the brand partnered with several iconic bars to launch LoopHotel, a novel solution that cleverly circumvented the regulations and allowed bars to continue operations past curfew.

LoopHotel represents B2B creativity at its finest: a fun and truly unexpected idea that transformed a significant business challenge into a lucrative opportunity for both the brand and the bars it relies on to sell its product.

For many, enforcing a law that halts alcohol sales after 1 a.m. seems like a responsible measure for a city's “peace and quiet”. However, for us, such a law ignites the erosion of “third places”—vital for basic human connection, our economy, and social development. In Puerto Rico, nightlife is paramount, serving as a haven where people can escape social pressures and express themselves through dance, music, and conversation. Nightlife not only shapes our culture but also significantly contributes to our economy by driving tourism and influencing local behaviors. In fact, it was to the beat of reggaeton that our community has both overthrown the government and healed from a disastrous hurricane. What may appear as a minor inconvenience to some is, in fact, an affront to our way of life, reflecting a culture that prioritizes moments, memories, and connections over rigid timelines.

SITUATION:

In November 2023, the mayor of San Juan introduced a curfew that drastically affected the nightlife industry by halting alcohol sales after 1 a.m. This law severely impacted bars - crucial partners in La H beer’s distribution network - with sales plummeting by 50%.

BRIEF:

Develop a creative and strategic response to counteract the new curfew law, ensuring continued operations for La H and its key business partners—local bars.

OBJECTIVE: Strengthen B2B relationships and position La H as a champion of local bars, leading efforts to denounce the law while also looking for ways to circumvent it for the good of all the parties involved.

Our brand identified a loophole in the law: only hotels were allowed to sell and serve alcohol after 1 a.m.

Recognizing the exemption for hotels, we set out to create our own, partnering with several iconic bars to launch LoopHotel, an innovative solution that allowed bars to circumvent the law and remain open after curfew.

Our target audience consists of young street-savvy consumers 18-24 who cherish hanging out with friends late into the night and are in no rush to "grow up," much less obey a conservative mayor's curfew.

To capture the essence of Puerto Rico's nightlife, we partnered with many of the city's most iconic bars, offering them a safe space from which to sell to consumers late into the night. Each room in the hotel recreated the look and ambiance of a participating bar, including staff and bartenders. The result was an unprecedented themed space that allowed consumers to bar-hop and hang out late into the night without worrying too much about breaking the law.

Visiting LoopHotel was undeniably fun, but it also came to symbolize a kind of irreverent civil disobedience, with many consumers documenting their visit to highlight the absurdity of the mayor's war against fun.

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 and consolidated its relationship with bar owners, a key sales and distribution partner.

Results:

• Bar sales bounced back by 35% during the activation period.

• La H's distribution channels have grown by 17% since the activation's launch.

• Half a million in earned media

• 1.5 million impressions

• +140% spike in conversations about that law