Dive Brief:

• This St. Patrick’s Day, Guinness turns toasts into a video competition as part of a month-long campaign that includes in-person activations in several major cities as well as a TV ad and digital film featuring Joe Montana and chef Kwame Onwuachi, per a press release.
• Embracing holiday celebrations that don’t involve alcohol, the brand will also promote Guinness 0, its alcohol-free beer launched in 2022.
• For the second St. Patrick’s Day holiday following eased pandemic restrictions, the Diageo-owned beer is taking the concept of togetherness to the next level by focusing on in-person events, including with energy-harnessing technology in Chicago to collect the steps of those celebrating.

Dive Insight:

Guinness is taking a more expansive approach to this St. Patrick’s Day with a multi-pronged effort that includes multiple in-person activations, charity initiatives, user-generated content and a new commercial. For the epic toasts contest, video submissions will be accepted at Toast.Guinness.com until March 24. Up to two winners will be chosen per state, including Washington, D.C., and Guinness will award over 100 winners $10,000 in cash, amounting to $1 million in total. 

The initiative includes a strong focus on marketing tied to local celebrations. Guinness will return as the official sponsor of the Chicago River dyeing and the city’s parade on March 11. During the parade, Guinness will use energy-harnessing technology to collect the steps of those in the area to collect power. Power collected will be matched by donation hours as part of the Guinness Gives Back 1M Hours Pledge.

Also planned are in-person activations in Boston, Savannah, Georgia, and Baltimore, where the Guinness Open Gate Brewery will host a month-long celebration featuring weekly limited edition beer, merchandise, live music and an Irish village experience.

In New York, football stars Joe Burrow and Joe Montana will work with City Harvest, a food rescue organization, as part of the brand’s effort to encourage Americans to lift up communities by pledging 1 million service hours over the next year.

The brand’s expansive St. Patrick’s Day initiative this year follows a more laid-back effort, “All Together Now.” The 2022 campaign coincided with the first St. Patrick’s Day with eased pandemic restrictions. This year’s campaign takes togetherness even further, focusing on large events across the country.

Jameson Irish Whiskey, owned by Pernod Ricard, is another alcohol brand making the most of this St. Patrick’s Day by selling cardboard cutouts known as desk decoys to encourage consumers to take time off.