Asahi’s sustainability agenda goes beyond its own walls. Victoria Bitter and Clemenger BBDO Melbourne are offering beer lovers slabs of VB in exchange for their excess solar energy.
The Solar Exchange program allows participants to exchange credit on their power bill, obtained from generating excess solar at home, for VB. Every $30 worth of credit can be exchanged for a slab, delivered to participating homes. The slabs are 24 x 375ml bottles or cans of VB.
Brian Phan, general manager marketing Victoria Bitter, commented, “Last year we put the Australian sun to work and started brewing VB with 100% offset solar energy. Now we’ve launched this program to thank those who have made the effort to go solar with some hard-earned VB. The only thing better than drinking the Big Cold Beer in the Aussie sun is earning beer while you do it. Plus, it’s a real win-win for beer lovers and the environment.”
The campaign is being announced nationally with a TVC, an animation that explains the program, social, digital, a national PR campaign, and dynamic OOH which displays how much beer Australians could be earning based on the weather in each state.
The launch of the program follows Asahi Beverages’ acquisition of Carlton & United Breweries last year. Asahi’s goal is to be powered entirely by 100% renewable energy by 2025. In 2018, CUB adopted renewable energy as the way forward with the signing of a 12-year Power Purchase Agreement for 74,000 MWh per year of renewable energy from the giant solar farm outside Mildura. The Solar Exchange has been developed in partnership with the 5-star rated1 energy retailer, Diamond Energy, and Power Ledger, a blockchain-powered software platform that facilitates the Solar Exchange. VB will receive the solar credits it obtains under the exchange from Diamond Energy and re-invest them back into the program or towards the business’ broader sustainability goals.
Customers who sign-up to the program can track how much beer they’ve earned based on how many solar energy credits they have exchanged with VB, with slabs being delivered each quarter.
Clemenger BBDO Melbourne executive creative director, Jim Curtis, stated “I couldn’t be more proud to see one of Australia’s most iconic brands leading the way and showing the rest of the world an innovative economic model between brands and consumers.”
Clemenger BBDO Melbourne senior creatives, Dal Evans de Almeida and Michael Hughes, added, “The VB Solar Exchange gives the term ‘people power’ a whole new meaning. We are very happy to see it go live.”
There are currently limited spots available. While Victoria Bitter aims to have more people exchanging solar credit for beer down the track, signing up quickly matters right now. To apply for the program, energy consumers with solar excess, need to switch their electricity retailer to Diamond Energy, and agree to the VB Solar Exchange terms and conditions. The program is available to residential householders only who are aged over 18 in VIC, NSW, QLD (Energex regions only) and SA. More information, including eligibility requirements and terms and conditions, are available online here.
Credits:
Client: Carlton & United Breweries
General Manager, Marketing: Brian Phan
Head of Classic Brands – CUB: Hayden Turner
Marketing Manager – Victoria Bitter: Marc Lord
Graduate Management Trainee – Victoria Bitter: Elannah Young
Creative Agency: Clemenger BBDO Melbourne
Media: PHD
Social: CUBHouse
PR: Clemenger PR & Multiplier Media
Production Company: Betty Wants In
Director: Dom Meehan
Cinematographer: Joel Egan
Executive Producer: Drew Dunlop
Producer: Ally Curtis
Colourist: Martin Greer
Online Editor: Eugene Richards
Sound House: Squeak E. Clean
Sound Engineer: Dee Gjested
Producer: Alice Vanderway
Animation & Illustration: Flutter
Animation Director: Stephen Elliget
Executive Producer: Li Liang Johnson
Illustrator: Ben Sanders
