Belgium is famous for its hundreds of beer varieties, microbreweries, and passionate home brewing community. Grimbergen, a well-respected abbey beer brand owned by Alken Maes Brewery, wanted to shift how consumers perceived them. Rather than being seen as simply a reliable beer choice, the brand wanted to build a deeper emotional connection with consumers. The challenge was to engage beer lovers authentically and strengthen brand love in Flanders (the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium) through genuine innovation rather than traditional advertising.
Description
Ads & Data Brand Studio developed a campaign concept called “Brouw Met Mij” (Brew With Me), a Dutch phrase that sounds like “Trouw Met Mij” (Marry Me). The creative team of Ads & Data Brand Studio embraced this wordplay fully, framing the entire campaign as a symbolic marriage between the brand and consumers. The brewing process became a courtship, the collaboration a wedding celebration, and the resulting beer the “first offspring” of this collaboration.
Rather than simply advertising an existing product, the campaign invited home brewers across Belgium to submit their own beer recipes for a chance to compete to have their creation produced as an official Grimbergen product. This was unprecedented for a beer brand. A professional jury of 14 experts evaluated the submissions, shortlisted three finalists, and selected a winner at a public Brewfest event. The winning recipe was then developed into the 1128 Grimbergen Cuvée launched as a seasonal beer and distributed through retail and hospitality venues across the country.
The campaign unfolded across four distinct phases, each supported by targeted media. The initial call-to-action phase used online video across Ads & Data’s network plus print ads in upscale magazines. The judging phase generated organic media coverage through behind-the-scenes content and press releases. The Brewfest and final selection were captured in a mini-program broadcasted on national TV & streaming platform PLAY, supported by three native articles exploring the art and passion of beer brewing. The final phase promoted the finished Cuvée 2024 through billboarding, TV spots, online video, pause button ads (ads displayed when viewers pause streaming content), and retail communications.
Filip Peeters, a well-known Flemish actor, food enthusiast, and media personality, served as the face of the campaign. His charisma and genuine passion for food and drink culture helped to make the campaign instantly recognizable and gave it an authentic voice and face that resonated with Belgian audiences.
What made this campaign different from standard product launches was that it puts consumers at the heart of product development. Instead of telling people about a new beer, Grimbergen invited them to create it. The “marriage” concept provided a cohesive creative thread that connected every touchpoint, from the initial call for entries through to the final product on store shelves.
Results
The campaign exceeded all media objectives. It delivered over 4 million targeted impressions among adults 35 and older across three strategic waves, using TV, online video, native articles, pause button integration, and premium print advertising.
The level of engagement from home brewers surpassed expectations, demonstrating that the concept struck a genuine chord with Belgium’s brewing community. The originality of the “Brouw Met Mij” concept generated exceptional earned media results, with press coverage far exceeding what paid media alone could have achieved. The campaign became a national conversation rather than just an advertising effort.
We look back very positively on Brew With Me. Ads & Data’s approach was highly creative, which led to a strong concept. One that helped us reach both home brewers as well as a much wider audience. Our awareness figures showed that consumers have started to view our brand much more favorably. Cécile De Borggraef, Brand Manager Speciality & Trading, Alken-Maes
Given the exceptional success, the campaign has been approved to continue with fresh creative concepts for 2025 and 2026, proving that co-creation and strong storytelling can outperform traditional advertising frequency.
Source: egta.com
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