Legendary Japanese brand Sapporo Premium Beer will celebrate its history and the story of its creator through stylish manga imagery in a new national marketing campaign beginning next month.
The campaign depicts Sapporo’s beginnings in the late 1800s, telling the story of Seibei Nakagawa’s journey as he created Japan’s legendary beer.
In 1865, the young Nakagawa dreamed of adventure and defied authorities by leaving the country, aboard a merchant ship bound for England. Finding his way to Germany he landed a job at the Berlin Beer Brewing Company, discovering his passion for brewing.
Upon returning to Japan he was hired as chief engineer to build the country’s first brewery and in 1876, in the far northern city of Sapporo, the iconic beer was born.
The use of Japanese Manga artwork is both a nod to the country’s unique culture and Sapporo’s proud standing as its oldest beer brand.
In Australia Sapporo is brewed under licence and distributed by Coopers Brewery.
“The Sapporo origin is legendary in Japan; an inspiring story that changed Japanese beer for years to come,” offers brand manager Chris Levey.
Sapporo is described as a “crisp, perfectly balanced golden lager with a full malt character”. It clocks 5.0% ABV and IBU 24.
Coopers report it is the fastest growing Top-15 premium international lager in Australia, by volume and value, and the new marketing campaign comes after a recent refresh of the packaging.
“Sapporo’s sales history in Australia has shown that consumers long to discover authentic brands and experiences,” furthers Levy.
“Our nationwide campaign features unmissable outdoor media advertising, exciting digital partnerships, new retail promotions and refreshed point of sale collateral.”
The national campaign will see off- and on-premise activations, with POS promotions in venues, and a big focus on outdoor media displays and digital.
