As the 2022 NFL Playoffs get under way, the Hawaiian beer brand Kona Brewing Co’s ‘bruddahs’ ad characters return in new TV spots designed to engage football fans as they watch games together with friends and fellow fans.
Created by agency Duncan Channon and launched on 10 January, the ads seek to showcase and share the joy of watching the big game with friends and will air during NFL Playoff games leading up to this year’s Super Bowl.
The ‘Tailgate’ commercial sees Kona’s ‘bruddahs’ add their own twist on football tailgating with a classic Hawaiian twist.
While the 15-second ‘Island Time’ spot pokes some fun with the pressure mainlanders feel around ‘time’ and suggests that they embrace a different perspective that’s more conducive to a little fun.
The media buy for the sports-themed spots is focused on NFL games.
As well as the TV spots, Kona also rolled out a custom made, limited-edition ‘GameDay Hammock’ inspired by the brand’s Big Wave beer and which comes complete with an attached bottle opener and is positioned as ‘the best seat in the house’.
“Kona’s beloved Hawaiian brothers have spent years serving up island perspective to help us see things differently, so it’s fun to see them agree with mainlanders when it comes to tailgating,” said Duncan Channon Creative Director Parker Channon. “Game or no game, our new ‘Tailgate’ spot reminds us that it’s always a good idea to grab some friends, food and Kona beer.”
“Kona is excited to connect with football fans during the NFL playoffs, a natural time when people are celebrating with friends and family around the games,” added Kona Brewing Co Senior Director of Brand Marketing Cindy Wang. “We know that Kona wouldn’t be the first brand that you normally associate with football. We want to take this opportunity to playfully show fans how our Hawaiian mindset is uniquely relevant to everyday moments, including sports. One life, right?”
The campaign was created for Kona Brewing Co’s marketing team including VP Marketing Ken Kunze, Senior Director Of Marketing Cindy Wang, Brand Manager Vanessa Bennett and Associate Brand Manager Brooke Schwab.
The Creative Agency was Duncan Channon where the team included Partner & Executive Creative Director Parker Channon, Associate Creative Directors Adam Zash and Andy Whalen, Account Director Nick Gustafson, Account Manager Erica Afanador, Head Of TV & Content Production Keenan Hemje, Associate Producer Elisa Gonzales-Karapetian, Senior Project Manager Michelle Mirasol and Strategy Director Kelleen Peckham.
Production was run through O Positive with Director Brian Billow, Executive Producers Ralph Laucella and Marc Grill, 1st AD Grayson Bithell and DP Adam Richards.
The service company was Island Film Group with Executive Producer Krista Carella, plus editorial was run by The Den with Editor Katie Cali, Assistant Editor Stephen Shrink, Producer Jessica Mann, EP Ryan Curtis and finishing by Gabe Sanchez and Alice Cen.
Colour was handled by CO3’s Siggy Ferstl, music by Brutus La Benz and Kanoa Kukaua, audio by One Union Recording Senior Engineer Joaby Deal, Assistant Engineer Michael Swarce and Executive Producer Jaylen Block-Smith.
Comment
The latest creative work is a playful expansion of the brand’s previous marketing campaign’s topics which sees the laid-back, straight-talking ‘bruddahs’ exploring common ground with ‘mainlanders’ over sports-related occasions (and opening a cold Kona beer).
The ads are the latest instalment of Kona’s ‘Dear Mainland’ campaign builds on the brand’s success with audiences around its creative themed around Major League Baseball in 2021.
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