In-case promotional giveaway
Molson Canadian is an important beer here in the Great White North. It was an honour to have worked on this brand during what I refer to as the Golden Age of Canadian Beer Advertising. The advertising budgets were generous by today’s standards. The Brand Managers were brave and trusting of the creative process. And those who held the purse strings wanted to make names for themselves. This was an exciting time to be an Associate Creative Director.
This in-case promotional t-shirt giveaway was at the time the most successful one of its day. In today’s social climate this would be a hard sell – maybe even offensive. But back in the day, people loved it. This series of 3 monochrome collector t-shirts helped to drive beer case sales and sell out faster than any promotion before it. It became the benchmark for Molson in-case marketing executions.
Push it. Push it real good.
Some rules can be bent. Some you can snap over your knee. I redesigned the Molson Canadian logo with a retro filagree and no one said a word. That in itself was an accomplishment. It showed trust. A quality that is in rare supply these days. This retro t-shirt series opened a door for me. Allowing me to push the boundaries and see how far I could take it. I look back on this project with a smile. Often thinking to myself:
“I can’t believe I got away with that“.
Canadian Ambassadors
There is something really cool about knowing that your designs are being worn all over Canada at the same time. One of my greatest thrills was bumping into this total stranger wearing one of these shirts while on vacation in Cuba.
Was I right to break from the brand standards and follow my design instincts? – Ask this guy:
Collectors Item
I held the last remaining set of Molson Canadian Retro T-shirts. After 20 years of vacuum sealed storage, I decided to break the set and give this one to my dear Sister. Although I had dreams to auction them off one day, I take great pleasure in knowing that she is rocking this at the cottage. In Canada, some things mean more than money.
I am Canadian.
This work was created at The Hive.