Insight
San Juan is the regional beer leader in the rainforest city of Pucallpa. The brand sustainability is based on the emotional connection with its consumers, who not only appreciate the beer's functional benefits, but also are deeply identified with it because it is named after the main and most important holiday in the city: the San Juan’s Festival, and proudly has on its label the image of Otorongo, the emblematic animal of Amazon and Pucallpa town. This makes the brand an important part in the community making it a kind of "big brother".
The problem was that this connection is at risk because the Otorongo are disappearing, there are only 6,000 left in Peru. And it is man himself who puts it in danger from logging, illegal mining and indiscriminate hunting for its skin. If Otorongo disappear, it would have irreversible consequences on the ecosystem of the Amazon and most alarming the problem is that the population is not aware of this painful reality.
The biggest challenge for the brand was to preserve the strong emotional bond with consumer, taking the leading role and position that corresponded in order to solve it by getting involved with the pucallpinos in a common purpose: stop faster advance of Otorongo’s predation (disappearance), as this species is essential for the preservation of a healthy forest and ecosystem.
Strategy
In order to develop the strategy, the agency faced the barrier of a lack of quantitative data, therefore, it had take advantage of the deep market local analysis that Initiative Peru made, focused on the interests, needs and changes on the consumer context. This consumer research was the main input to consolidate the brand that it had to build.
Through qualitative studies, it learnt that Pucallpa’s consumers are happy to live there as well as having the benefits of the forest; but the development of the city and growth is generating some fears: "Life in my city is changing quickly; more people, more activities, more complications. I don’t want these changes to make me lose the essence of living in the jungle, a simple, relaxed and happy life".
Said by Pucallpa people itself, the Otorongo is "part of their identity," the jaguar is the King of the jungle in Pucallpa and is considered a strong, brave, confident and combative animal, effectively becoming the "alter ego" of resident of Pucallpa. The agency saw this as an opportunity to achieve that emotional connection it was looking to strengthen between the consumer and the brand, because all the efforts made to preserve this endangered species would have a very positive impact on the population and the relationship with the brand.
So it made San Juan Beer the local brand that is leading the shift in consciousness of people, contributing to the preservation of joy and well-being of the rainforest.
It created the campaign: Where is my Otorongo?
Execution
To change this situation, Initiative decided to do something unexpected.
In the first stage (Intrigue), it took the Otorongo off the label. Over the Ucayalinos carnivals, a time of high product consumption for the brand, it replaced the bottle’s labels of Otorongo by other pets like a dog, a cow, a pig and a rooster. Only 6,000 labels were held with the Otorongo as an icon to highlight the problem and generate conversation, awareness and action to reverse the situation. This was the main event of the campaign which generated surprise, indignation, but especially mobilising consumption to make people aware of this situation.
In the second stage (reveal), the agency used digital as the mainstay of the campaign, making a stronger investment in digital with special content on social networks. It had communication not only in Pucallpa, but also in Lima, in order to generate more reach to the message and campaign purpose. The main objective of this stage was to motivate the consumer to support this cause by adding their digital signature and use it to obtain the support of the local government to take action in the preservation of the species.
The agency also brought on board Hernan Vidaurre, a local opinion leader who is very close to consumers. It generated branded content with him, using humour to communicate in a playful way the campaign message.
The higher affinity local TV programme with the target called "Chino con Ch" was identified and in it the agency was able to feature weekly brand endorsement, generating brand closeness to the consumer. This content was supported with mentions on radio and in local press.
Results
The brand achieved growth in core brand attributes + 35% than the same period the previous year (Source: Consumer Tracker 2016).
Brand affinity and Attitudinal Equity grew by 47% and 59% respectively vs. the same period last year (Source: Consumer Tracker 2016).
A total reach of 1,400,000+ users was achieved via the digital platform.
It managed to have 97% conversion signatures via the brand website - the main tool for one of the main achievements) and the campaign generated 398,385+ interactions.
And the main objective purpose of the campaign was fulfilled. It made possible the agreement and commitment by the Regional Government of Ucayali, for the protection and preservation of Otorongo.