We needed to drive sales of Grupo Modelo beers during one of Mexico’s largest festive periods.
Objective: sell more beer.
EASTER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT NATIONAL HOLIDAY IN MEXICO
In Mexico, Easter is marked by Semana Santa (Holy Week) when the country is flooded with elaborate and much-anticipated processions and ceremonies. Schools and many offices close as the nation is gripped with holiday fever!
It’s a week that’s treasured by the whole country. People go out every day and have a good time, which is why it’s also the single most important week for beer brands. Almost a fifth of annual beer consumption in Mexico takes place during Semana Santa!
Every year, Grupo Modelo – part of AB InBev and owner of brands such as Corona, Victoria, Bud Light and Modelo Especial – faces up against its fiercest rival Cuauhtémoc.
Between them, they hold over 90% of the Mexican market and, all too often, the battle for share comes down to price. Whoever has the best price promotion wins the battle of the beers.
Our insight told us that with many special promotions available, it was imperative to be seen as the cheapest brand.
We realised our challenge was to boost awareness of Grupo Modelo’s fantastic offers to the point where consumers couldn’t be distracted, before they reached the store, as well as in-store.
We had to make them intrigued and so engaged that they would actively seek out our offers, and not just because they were cheaper.
WE TURNED GRUPO MODELO INTO THE ROBIN HOOD OF BEER BRANDS
With every brand trying to get in on the action, we realised that no single group would be able to own the holiday period.
We needed to create a campaign around price that focused on more than just price. Something that would get consumers talking.
Our strategy would be to turn Grupo Modelo into the Robin Hood of beer brands – stealing from the rich corporations and giving back to people in the form of cheaper beer.
To bring this concept to life, we would create a media first, and hack the company’s own website and social media channels.
To make the threat real and credible, we would enlist the world’s most fearsome hackers: Anonymous, the ‘hacktivists’ who fight ‘injustice’ around the world.
This 21st century cyber army would be our force to conquer the Easter holiday in Mexico.
Our message would be that Anonymous had managed to hack Grupo Modelo and their sole demand was that the festive season in Mexico be enjoyed properly, through cheaper beers!
Cheaper Grupo Modelo beers meant happier Mexicans during holy week.
GRUPO MODELO WERE HACKED, A MODERN NIGHTMARE, OR SO IT APPEARED….
We used a two-pronged approach to our hack-attack:
Phase 1
Three days prior to Semana Santa, on the 6th of April, Grupo Modelo’s portfolio of social networks were hacked by Anonymous, including profile pictures, avatars and cover photos. A video message from Anonymous wearing their iconic Guy Fawkes mask appeared sending a message that read:
“We have hacked Grupo Modelo Networks because we believe everyone deserves cheaper beer. We are going to manage these beers’ social networks until the company pays attention to us. We made this to improve the season when we gather with friends, for fraternity and friendship of all Mexicans.”
The video went viral with 181 million Twitter mentions – that’s 1.5 tweets for every Mexican. Soon after, press and influencers started talking.
Phase 2
The next day, on the 7th of April, Grupo Modelo responded to the ransom in the language any hacker could understand - Memes! Grupo Modelo promised to surrender and to lower the price of beer using the phrase “HACKEAMOSLAPROMO” otherwise known as WEHACKTHEPROMO, within an hour, this became a trending topic.
The terms Grupo Modelo ‘surrendered to’ now entitled all Mexicans to special packages of beers from across the portfolio for just $5, at least half the normal price.
Grupo Modelo communicated their announcement across all Grupo Modelo social networks, via the press and in store.
J.Walter Thomson México
Hill+Knowlton Strategies
