Asahi Super Dry Sparks Curiosity in New Integrated Marketing Campaign

Asahi Super Dry, Japan’s No.1 beer, today launches a bold new integrated marketing campaign ‘Discovery Is Calling’ – the first global campaign for the brand. The new platform looks to highlight Asahi Super Dry’s offering and encourage consumers to discover its distinctive dry, crisp taste known as 'Karakuchi'.

As the world begins to reopen following Covid-19, the campaign aims to encourage the curiosity people have developed during lockdown and inspire them to continue to discover new experiences both at home and beyond, as the world gradually returns to a new normal.

With super premium lager sales leading the growth in the lager category over the past three months (12.4%) according to data from Nielsen, consumers are looking to upgrade their drink choices at home during this unprecedented time. Asahi Super Dry is crisp and dry with a quick, clean finish which pairs well with food, easily helping to elevate the at home dining experience.

Set in the distinctive, urban streets of Japan, ‘Discovery Is Calling’ looks to showcase Asahi Super Dry’s unique taste through a world that is alive with possibilities and full of potential. In this world, red light is used as a metaphor for curiosity, drawing the audience in and guiding them towards their own individual discoveries.

Shot by Noah Harris, through Agile Films, the spot uses cleverly choreographed projections to create a dynamic, ever changing environment, leading a trio of night-time discoverers through many different locations, each transforming into the next. The spot ends with them in a bar, a pint of Asahi Super Dry in hand, with the rooftops of Tokyo projected around them.

Filmed across three days, with 265 gigabytes of projection data, the campaign pushes the boundaries of tech and what is possible in film, with some environments created entirely in a video game engine, and then projected in real-time. Reaching 71% of the national target audience and generating 113M impressions, the campaign will drive impact across broadcaster video-on-demand (BVOD), out-of-home (OOH), digital and social platforms, building a deeper understanding and engagement with the brand to drive trial in outlet and nationwide sampling opportunities. The campaign highlights how it was the brand’s curious mind that found inspiration from sake to create the dry, crisp Karakuchi taste of Asahi Super Dry today.

Created by dentsumcgarrybowen out of London, it is the brand’s first ever global campaign and the first fully-integrated campaign the agency has produced since winning the business in January 2020.

Asahi Super Dry global brand director, Daniel Grass, said: “In recent months, consumers have been faced with the most unprecedented of situations – the familiar has become increasingly unfamiliar and people have become passengers on a journey which has been completely out of their control.  Through this social situation, people have also learnt the art of discovery, finding interesting new things to do, create, eat and drink - to enrich their experiences and change the rhythm of repetition. We hope the spirit in which this campaign has been created will support that curiosity and appeal to consumers who are yet to experience the unique taste of Asahi Super Dry."

Gareth Collins, CEO at dentsumcgarrybowen London, added: “The team has done a fantastic job launching an ambitious new global campaign in a world full of so much uncertainty. We pride ourselves in being able to unlock the latent potential in our client’s brands and in 'Discovery is Calling', we have done just that for Asahi. As a big organising idea, Discovery is Calling has so much potential globally and we are already excited about where we take the brand next.”

To further support those who want to discover the unique 'Karakuchi' taste of Asahi Super Dry, the brand will be holding an on-pack promotion giving consumers the chance to win a trip to Tokyo or an Asahi Super Dry beer foamer, delivering the 'Karakuchi' to serve at home.