New Belgium is banking on mobile as a way to connect with beer fans this summer with a campaign that comprises video advertising and photo sharing.

New Belgium?s ?Pairs Well With People? campaign includes mobile, social, digital and television to promote the brand?s flagship beer ? Fat Tire Amber Ale. The campaign runs through Labor Day.

?We know many of our consumers ? especially Millennials ? are heavy mobile users based on the segmentation we completely saw last year,? said Adrian M Glasenapp, brand activist man at New Belgium Brewing, Fort Collins, CO.

?Mobile will continue to be an important place for us to tell our brand story and connect with current and new consumers,? he said.

Drink on mobile
New Belgium has optimized a seasonal Facebook application for mobile that is accessible via the microsite http://www.newbelgium.com/pairswell.

The app lets consumers take pictures inside a branded frame. The theme of the pictures should show what items Fat Tire beer pairs well with.

Some examples that consumers have uploaded include pictures of friends and nature scenes.

By creating the photo, consumers are entered into a sweepstakes for weekly prizes to win cruiser bikes throughout the summer.

Additionally, photos tagged on Instagram with the hashtag #pairswell will also be entered into the contest.

The brand?s strategy behind using Instagram is that the platform fits with a visual brand and leverages the local relationship that the brand has built out across the country.

Additionally, consumers can watch New Belgium?s new 30-second long commercial that is airing this summer.

The site also prompts users to download New Belgium?s Beer Mode mobile application, which is available for Android and iPhone devices.

Consumers can also find nearby New Belgium products and learn more about the company?s products via the microsite.

New Belgium is using digital and mobile display, video, search and social ads to build awareness for the campaign. Digital partners this summer include YouTube, Facebook, Hulu, NBC and Tremor Video.

Mobile learnings
Last summer, New Belgium launched a mobile app that integrated with social media as part of a similar contest this year for its seasonal ?Enjoy the Ride? campaign (see story).

Taking a multichannel approach that includes digital and traditional mediums such as TV is a smart way for New Belgium to reach the most consumers.

For video specifically, relying on TV as the sole way of distribution is not enough for brands anymore.

Therefore, digital and mobile video helps the brand distribute its content to a wider demographic pool.

Going forward, developing the brand?s mobile app is a priority for New Belgium.

?I see continued efforts and evolution in terms of our mobile app along with connecting with key influencers according to their mobile use and sharing of New Belgium content,? Mr. Glasenapp said.

?Additionally with paid media, we will look at innovative and engaging ways to brand our campaigns and beers while hopefully adding value and fun to the mobile experience,? he said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Marketer, New York