Guinness x Aiken Promotions
Guinness faced a long-standing “summer problem,” where its perception as a dark, winter drink for older males, hampered sales. The brand lacked summer associations, a challenge it had historically failed to overcome. To solve this, Guinness partnered with Aiken Promotions (incl POD Festivals), aiming to align with the consumer passion for music and connect with a new generation of 18-35-year-old and female drinkers. The strategy centered on the “Lovely Day for a Guinness” creative platform, which reframed the brand as a vibrant, colourful, year-round choice.
The campaign’s “Lovely Days” platform brought Guinness to life at over 35 concerts and festivals, including major events like Live at the Marquee, Forbidden Fruit, and All Together Now. Guinness leveraged exclusive pouring rights and immersive brand activations to create unique experiences, from the Guinness 1759 Bar with surprise performances to the innovative “Lovely Days Arena”, showcasing brand assets in a lively, modern context. Amplified across key touchpoints, it successfully embedded itself in the Irish summer music scene.
Guinness achieved its objectives by year three of the partnership, becoming the #1 recruiting beer brand for 18-35s and attracting more female drinkers than ever before, with summer drinkers rising to over 1.1 million. It also became the #1 most recalled brand at summer festivals and for summer advertising. Perceptions shifted dramatically, with an 8-point increase in ‘Great brand for summer occasions’. This partnership successfully transformed Guinness into a culturally relevant brand for a new generation and a vibrant, relevant choice year-round occasions.
