Bringing a passion for authenticity to beer
FOOD & BEVERAGE

Miller Coors

Turning Millennial Men on to a New Drink

We tapped into the rich history of cider drinking by American pioneers to usher Smith & Forge into market. Anchoring the message around strength and heritage—it has become a hit with millennial men seeking something authentically masculine.

Story

To continue growing, MillerCoors wanted to strengthen its foothold of the millennial drinker by growing the nascent cider category in the US.

Solution

We immersed ourselves in the world of millennial men, discovering that they enjoyed the taste of cider but were concerned that beer alternatives were perceived as feminine. To counteract this, we leveraged a deeper motivation among millennials (the desire to re-purpose from the past in a way that is authentic) and tapped into the underutilized rich cider drinking heritage of early American pioneers. The result was Smith & Forge, a hard cider that is ‘made strong’.

Results

Smith & Forge was enthusiastically received by the trade and consumers alike. Smith & Forge is currently the third most popular cider brand in the U.S. and the cider category in the U.S.