MillerCoors subsidiary AC Golden Brewing Co. has introduced its new Colorado Native Lager that is supported by a media campaign including an on-package mobile marketing program.

The brewer is using Denver-based SpyderLynk?s SnapTags technology that lets consumers snap a picture of the Colorado Native logo with their mobile phone and text it to a short code to begin a conversation with the brand.

?Our marketing approach for Colorado Native is distinctly different from other beer brands,? said Glenn Knippenberg, president of AC Golden Brewing Company, Denver.

?Rather than saturate the market with traditional ? and big budget ? advertising screaming ?try us, try us,? our goal is to create a true community of our beer drinkers, to start a conversation and have them define the brand for us,? he said.

?We?ll engage in a dialogue with our drinkers, rather than feeding them an unwelcome stream of monologue,? he said.

AC Golden Brewing Co.'s Colorado Native is an amber lager made with pale and caramel malts from Moravian two-row barley.  It is a well-balanced beer that delivers a clean taste and dry finish that is good on its own or with a wide array of foods.

Instead of using traditional advertising to get the word out about Colorado Native, the brewer wants to reach potential drinkers where they live and spend time, and that is on their phones.

With SnapTags and other social media networks, AC Golden Brewing will converse with consumers about things that are relevant to them.

?The SnapTag technology allows us to have thousands of individual, one-on-one conversations with our consumers and provide them with information that?s relevant to them and share that information with other natives,? Mr. Knippenberg said.  

?Ultimately, they?ll define the brand for us,? he said. 

Colorado Native is the first beer to use SnapTag technology is the first consumer product to actually place a SnapTag on its packaging.

After texting in a snapshot of the logo, consumers are asked to verify they are legal drinking age by replying with their date of birth.

Consumers that verify they are of legal drinking age are asked about their hobbies and interests and AC Golden Brewing keeps this information for tailoring future marketing messages for individual drinkers.

Depending on age, anywhere from 85-94 percent of Americans have mobile phones. Those under 45 years of age are at the upper end of the percentage, according to a 2009 Marist poll.  

?These days, our target market listens to music mostly downloaded onto their iPods, TiVo?s ? or even streams on the Internet ? any shows they are interested in on TV and many get their news from the Web or sent straight to their cell phones vs. opening magazines and newspapers,? Mr. Knippenberg said.

?We think the best place to reach our potential consumers is where they really live ? and that?s on their cell phones," he said. ?SnapTags ? and our other social media ? allow us to have individual interaction with our drinkers and listen to/learn about them so that we can remain relevant to their lifestyle.?

Spyderlynk sees an evolution in brands' need to provide an interactive experience.

The company's SnapTag technology helps brands transform static advertising into interactive experinces.

?What we really see unfolding is logos across the entire spectrum of marketing becoming an interactive tool," said Jane McPherson, chief marketing officer of SpyderLynk, Denver. "Everything from shelf talkers, to events posters and packaging become SnapTags, offering consumers an interactive experience.

"In parallel, ten years ago everybody added a Web address below the logo to indicate they have a Web site and an interactive experience online," she said. "We see the brand's need evolving to driving a market for interactive experiences anywhere."