PR > Culture & Context

THE MOST ILLEGAL BEER

HEIMAT\TBWA, Berlin / MUSCHICRAFT BEER COMPANY / 2024

Awards:

Shortlisted Cannes Lions
CampaignCampaignLayout(opens in a new tab)
Supporting Content
Supporting Images
Supporting Images
Supporting Images
Case Film
Supporting Images
Presentation Image
1 of 0 items

Overview

Credits

OVERVIEW

Why is this work relevant for PR?

The Most Illegal Beer aimed to raise awareness of the outdated, sexist laws hidden in the legal systems worldwide, and drive faster progress toward gender equality through wide public discussions involving everyone.

With a provocative beer, we not only hacked our feminist topic even into male conversations, but also hijacked the gendered logic of many media outlets to earn coverage from male-targeting press.

The project created organic media buzz and sparked global discussions, shifting people’s opinions about the world’s status of gender inequality. Meanwhile, it put Muschicraft, the feminist beer brand, onto the map of the male-dominated beer world.

Please provide any cultural context that would help the Jury understand any cultural, national or regional nuances applicable to this work.

Muschicraft, which translates as “Pussy Power”, is a feminist beer brand founded to provoke the “male standard” in the beer world. That’s why The Most Illegal Beer was created for it. It’s a step further for the brand to challenge the other “male standards” prevailing in our societies around the world – the laws that were written by men but are still restricting women’s freedoms nowadays.

Since 2010, World Bank has been publishing the “Women, Business and The Law” report every 1-2 years. Part of the report is to review the unequal laws around the world. Over a decade have passed. Almost no common people have been made aware of such widely existing gender injustices, and many of these laws remain unchanged. To drive faster progress, we need to raise wide public awareness and create greater momentum for change. The Most Illegal Beer was born for this mission.

The unequal laws broken by The Most Illegal Beer were primarily based on the “Women, Business and The Law” report 2023. The 2024 report was released only after our project.

Background

In over 70 countries worldwide, laws still exist which prohibit women from doing things that men are allowed to do -- laws that restrict women’s choice of jobs and dictate how they should look and behave. It’s a harsh reminder of the reality of gender inequality nowadays: Women are still denied the same professional and personal freedoms as men globally.

We created The Most Illegal Beer with the mission to, for the first time ever, shine a spotlight on these outdated, sexist laws long hidden in the legal systems around the world, and drive faster progress toward gender equality.

With this intriguing, provocative beer, the project intended to start a conversation engaging all genders, even the group who are usually more indifferent to gender equality topics -- men. The wide-spread discussions were used to generate greater momentum for change.

Describe the creative idea

We hijacked the holy water of manhood, as the perfect conversation opener for everyone, while also including men into the equality talk.

The Most Illegal Beer breaks the laws from over 50 countries worldwide – simply because it is made by women.

Women from around the world gathered to create this beer, doing the things forbidden for women but allowed for men. They worked in brewery with yeast, produced alcohol, cleaned and repaired running machinery, pulled night shifts, used hand trucks, lifted heavy beers, drove trucks, wore make-up and tight, low-cut jeans, drank beer in bars, and more! The entire process intentionally violates the laws from their countries of origin, including Russia, Uruguay, Italy, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and the USA.

The beer was sold in bars, stores, and E-shops -- which could also deliver abroad. Sales raised money for Women For Women International, an organisation fighting for global gender equality.

Describe the PR strategy

Gender equality is always presumed to be only talked about by females and reported by female-targeting media. However, to trigger real changes, we need to involve all genders in this discussion, including men.

Keeping this special target audience also in mind, we created The Most Illegal Beer. Not only because beer is an easy conversation opener for everyone, but also because beer is seen as the holy water of manhood and is a beloved topic among males.

With a simple beer, we hacked the message of “gender injustice” into male press and conversations, engaging a group traditionally more indifferent to women’s rights issues. A big, complicated topic, made accessible to everyone.

The project was supported by an online film, influencer activations, and OOHs – all leading to our project website. We also sent the beer to the lawmakers in countries with such unequal laws, adding direct pressure for change.

Describe the PR execution

The Most Illegal Beer was launched on International Women’s Day, surfing press agenda on the most important day of the year to report about women’s rights. But we strategically planned our PR to be stretched out throughout March and even beyond, sustaining the topic for longer, so that more people can be made aware of this issue and join the discussion.

During the campaign, we secured a variety of coverage from all over the world, including many countries with laws broken by the beer. From leading newspapers, TV channels to business media, from lifestyle titles to creative press – not to forget beer magazines and websites, and mainstream male-targeting publications, like Playboy.

By sending special beer parcels, we also secured many posts and unboxings from prominent influencers like Stefanie Giesinger (5.2M followers), Coralia Glavas (380k followers), Gianna Bacio (134k followers). Their participation helped spread the conversation wider on social media.

List the results

The Most Illegal Beer so far has garnered over 1.68B reach worldwide and generated over 3.4M Euro earned media, with nearly 99% positive sentiment. It successfully amassed coverage from all over the world, including many countries with laws broken by the beer, like Russia, Italy, the USA, China, etc. Reports came from a diversity of media outlets, including leading newspapers and TV channels, business media, lifestyle titles, creative press, and, not to forget, beer magazines and websites, as well as mainstream male-targeting publications, like Playboy.

Online conversations about these unequal laws have increased by 290%. Everyone was activated. Men were engaged in the gender equality talk more than ever. They got mobilized to rethink the reality of gender inequality, and even to demand change.

Brand mentions of Muschicraft raised 4000% during the campaign, while its social engagement went up by 1571%. With this project, we put this bold, provocative feminist beer brand firmly onto the map of the male-dominated beer world, and in people’s minds too.

The Most Illegal Beer gave Muschicraft 300% faster sales growth than category average. After a quick sold-out, a second batch is already brewed.

Please tell us about how the work challenged or was different from the brands competitors.

The world of beer is still a very much male-dominated, filled with gender stereotypes and prejudices. And this is really shown in the design and the messaging of almost all the beers on the market.

As the feminist beer brand, Muschicraft created The Most Illegal Beer to challenge the “male standard”, which prevails not just in the beer world, but also in societies across the globe.

And to match this mission, this unique beer was also designed to be a bold, provocative symbol of female resistance and unity, disruptively standing out from all competitor products.

More Entries from Challenger Brand in PR

24 items

Grand Prix Cannes Lions
THE MISHEARD VERSION

Healthcare

THE MISHEARD VERSION

SPECSAVERS, GOLIN

(opens in a new tab)

More Entries from HEIMAT\TBWA

24 items

Grand Prix Cannes Lions
THE SQUARE METER

Production Design/Art Direction

THE SQUARE METER

HORNBACH D.I.Y./ HOME IMPROVEMENT SUPERSTORES, HEIMAT\TBWA

(opens in a new tab)