Brief Explanation

We created a way for non-Japanese speakers to easily order Suntory’s draft beer in traditional Japanese-style bars and izakaya pubs just by saying a unique phrase coined in English, Chinese, French, Thai, and Spanish. The phrases in the five languages mean something completely different to each other, but they all clearly sound like “I’d like a glass of Suntory’s draft beer, please (Suntory no nama biru kudasai)” to the Japanese ear. We added impact to the phrases by making them a little peculiar in meaning and succeeded in piquing the interest of foreign travelers by making them wonder whether such phrases will actually work and stirring their curiosity to try them out. The campaign proved to be very effective in driving orders and trials.

The Brief

Every year 30% more foreign travelers visit Japan. Our mission is for them to come to know Suntory’s name during their stay and to take home with them the experience of drinking Suntory Malt’s the Draft, the best-tasting draft beer in Japan.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

Originally, the campaign was intended only for Tokyo, but its effective and unique approach caught the attention of salesmen and bar/restaurant owners seeking to increase inbound marketing towards increasing foreign travelers. As a result, the campaign rapidly expanded to some 1,000 establishments.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

Suntory Malt's the Draft is beer you can only drink "on premise," such as at restaurants and traditional Japanese-style izakaya pubs. The key was to get foreign travelers unfamiliar with this brand to order it by name. We developed phrases in 5 languages (English, Chinese, French, Spanish, and Thai) that sound like, “I’d like a glass of Suntory’s draft beer, please” to the Japanese ear, while being simple and impactful enough for native speakers of these languages to memorize at once. The coined phrases were then printed on posters and beer mats along with illustrations in a way that looked like they were just scribbled on the spot. When seen at the bar, they looked like messages passed on from fellow travelers, which helped to make Suntory Malt's the Draft feel that much more accessible and contributed to getting more foreign customers to order it by name.