In a country where blokes struggle to talk about their feelings and men commit suicide at three times the rate of women, most New Zealand men will receive their first flowers at their own funeral.

To change this, together with Yeastie Boys and in partnership with leading men's mental health foundation I Am Hope, we looked to ingrained social behaviour where blokes do actually chat: over a beer.

And we created the Blokequet, a beer brewed with flowers, so that the first flowers men get is not at their funeral... but over a chat with a mate.

Provocative but purposefully low alcohol, every Blokequet (a 2.5% hazy pale ale brewed with earl grey blue flowers) is a call to action to check in on a mate, as well as a donation to I Am Hope, and link to mental health resources. Every component of the launch campaign, from pub coasters to influencer DMs, was also designed to provoke conversations.

With sales 50% higher than any other Yeastie Boys new product launch, extraordinary for a low-alcohol beer, it's now selling nationwide in pubs, bars, restaurants and liquor stores, generating awareness, donations and most importantly conversations. 

"Catching up over a beer is an ingrained behaviour in New Zealand society and I want to get the message across to as many men as possible. More than simply fundraising, I want to get men to talk, to share feelings, stresses, fears and vulnerabilities so they are not isolated. " 

- Leading mental health advocate and I Am Hope Founder, Mike King