One of the oldest Belgian brewers, 268-year-old Martens United Dutch Brewery, formed a partnership with an Alabama distributor through sheer happenstance and kismet. That led to a wholly new beer Martens Belite, that’s rolling out in Alabama this month. US agency, Lewis, has turned that unlikely partnership into an unconventional, unignorable campaign.

The campaign background is an original story that’sone part happenstance and one part business meet-cute. 15-years ago, Matthew Dent, the president and CEO of Buffalo Rock Company (an Alabama soda distributor) visited the Martens brewery museum in Bocholt, Belgium, where he was inspired by the family’s 9-generation commitment to craftsmanship.

When Buffalo Rock expanded into alcohol distribution, Dent contacted the Martens family to develop a brew that combined Belgian quality with a light, familiar experience. A simple plan. Martens makes the brew, Buffalo Rock introduces it to America. The result was a “domesticated import”, that packed a Belgian flavor punch, crafted specifically for the American palate and the outdoor lifestyle of the Southeast. 

Lewis saw the humour in the partnership. The agency also knew that beer – including new younger audience fave, low-cal-low-carb beer, was a crowded market. So it turned the quirkiness of the Martens United-Buffalo Rock partnership into a campaign, Rivals, that launched in a fittingly unconventional market, Birmingham, Alabama. With no name recognition and no built-in audience, the campaign is designed to change that by commanding attention, sparking conversation, and burning the name into people’s minds.

Rivals pairs unlikely duos who wouldn’t usually share a moment, raising a beer together. The creative leans into the absurd warmth of the unexpected. 

The full campaign covers OOH, social video, Reels & Stories and social posts in May, and will continue with a new pair of rivals being posted for two weeks until July.

“When you launch in a new market, you have one job, and that is to make people feel something they can’t ignore,” stated Stephen Curry, executive creative director at Lewis. “With Rivals, that is exactly what we are doing. There’s something universally human about two unlikely characters setting aside whatever divides them just to share a cold beer. That’s the spirit of BeLite, and it’s the kind of idea that travels. Birmingham is just the beginning.”

“We have spent nine generations perfecting the art of Belgian brewing, and we believe Birmingham is the perfect place to begin our next chapter in America,” added Martens United Dutch Brewery CCO, Bob Martens. “This community’s vibrant energy and spirited atmosphere reflect the same ‘light’ and refreshing quality we have captured in every can of BeLite. We are proud to lead our national launch in a city that truly knows how to live light.”