Dive Brief:

• Constellation Brands is launching a digital-first campaign aimed at young adults for its Pacifico beer label, including four 15-second spots and several 30-second videos that profile independent personalities. The effort is as part of its broader "Live Life Anchor's Up" campaign aimed at Gen Z consumers, per information shared with Marketing Dive.

• Each spot focuses on different personalities, such as a professional surfer who shares his favorite spot in Southern California to catch waves, a skateboarder at the X Games, a sand artist who creates temporary artwork at the beach and a fictional couple who finds outdoor adventure close to a city. Pacifico also created 30-second profile videos for the surfer, skateboarder and sand artist.

• With Pacifico's U.S. sales last year hitting a record, the brand hopes to maintain its momentum by expanding messaging nationally and on media channels with higher viewership among Gen Z, including Hulu, YouTube, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch and Spotify.

Dive Insight:

Constellation Brands has brewed up a digital-first strategy to more directly target Gen Z consumers and help its Pacifico label continue to grow following a strong year. Internal research suggests that Pacifco's values align with those held by Gen Z, with a shared premium placed on being unique and independent. 

The brand's sales last year rose 12% to hit a record 12.3 million cases, making it the ninth-most popular imported beer, per information shared with Marketing Dive. Pacifico attributed its advertising and media campaigns to a 65% gain in its marketing return on investment. Constellation Brands' sales overall are strong so far this year.

As Pacifico expands distribution nationwide, it also wants to maintain an independent vibe that hearkens back to its Baja California roots and surfer culture. Three of its four 15-second spots feature real people, who also are profiled in 30-second videos Pacifico created for the campaign. The "Crash the Games" shows a skateboarder crashing through a Pacifico can, while highlighting the brand's ongoing sponsorship of the X Games. The "Unanchored Art" spot depicts a sand artist creating a temporary work of art that includes the message, "Make your mark without leaving one," to appeal to the environmental sensibilities of Gen Zers.

The "Closer Than You Think" spot stands out from the others in depicting a fictional couple who enjoy nature in what appears to be a remote location. Instead, the spots shows that they're near a major city, while a tagline reads "Far away isn't far away" to reinforce the idea that people can find outdoor adventure close to home. The message is aimed at young people who want to experience the outdoors while travel opportunities are limited during the pandemic.

In the past year, Constellation Brands has developed campaigns aimed at tech-savvy younger consumers who tend to be heavy consumers of digital media. Last fall, its Victoria beer created a web-based augmented reality (AR) experience to support its Day of the Dead campaign. Mobile users who scanned a QR code on Victoria packaging activated AR content inspired by the Mexican holiday.