Newcastle's Mega Huge Super Bowl Ad Campaign For The Mega Huge Super Bowl Ads They Didn't Make.

In a clever twist on being clever, Newcastle Ale (which is owned by Heineken) has launched a Mega Huge anti-Super Bowl Ad campaign mocking the fact that they didn't create a mega Huge Super Bowl ad campaign.  With tongue-in-cheek banners, a website and a series of videos, they manage to make fun of everything related to Super Bowl advertising through the creative process, the focus group research, the teaser/trailer/making of phenomenon, the would-be pitchmen: Anna Kendrick and Keyshawn Johnson and of course, the prohibitive cost.

Here is the full campaign (thus far) followed by the press release:

The banner:


Their Facebook Page cover photo:


Their website home page:


The 9 funny videos below are shown in the order in which they were released:

1,. The Ad Newcastle made to prepare you for the ad they didn't make:


2. Newcastle's Cheap Ad they made for the pricey ad they didn't make:


3. The Teaser for the Trailer for Newcastle's Mega Huge Football Game Ad.
It's so epic, they made a trailer for the trailer:


4. The Official Stock Footage Trailer for the Mega Huge Football Game Ad they didn't make:


5. Newcastle's Mega Huge Football Ad Focus group:


6. Actual focus groups react to the Mega Football Ad they didn't make:


7. Keyshawn Johnson: Behind The Scenes of the Mega Huge Football Ad they almost made:


8. Anna Kendrick: Behind The Scenes of the Mega Huge Football Ad they almost made:


9 IT'S OFFICIAL: Real Focus Groups gave Newcastle's Mega Huge Football Game Ad a Mega Huge Score:


A 10th video is expected soon:


The Press Release:

Newcastle Brown Ale taps Anna Kendrick and Keyshawn Johnson to star in the greatest Big Game ad never made

Actress and singer Anna Kendrick has racked up an impressive string of triumphs: Oscar, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations for her performance in “Up in the Air;” a starring role in the hit film “Pitch Perfect;” and most recently with her 2013 triple-platinum single, “Cups.” But she will never get the chance to play what might have been her greatest role yet: the lead in an epic, Big Game spot for Newcastle Brown Ale.

It’s too bad Newcastle doesn’t believe in spending millions on a Mega Huge Football Game ad because it would have been amazing. Instead, Kendrick and football legend Keyshawn Johnson are taking center stage in a tongue-in-cheek marketing effort dubbed “If We Made It” that pokes fun at the ridiculous excess, overused schtick and over-the-top antics found in traditional Big Game commercials.

Newcastle may not be making the ad, but fortunately fans will be able to see all the trailers, storyboards, focus groups and behind-the-scenes interviews with Kendrick and Johnson at www.IfWeMadeIt.com. There also will be fresh content posted in real-time on the day of the Big Game.

“We think the formula for creating the most epic Big Game commercial of all time is pretty simple, but when it comes down to it, we’d rather have people drink our beer while watching other companies’ ads,“ said Charles van Es, senior brand director for Newcastle Brown Ale. “And to be honest, we don’t really have the money or permission to advertise on the game either.”

What did the world miss when Newcastle decided to keep its focus on making great beer instead of spending millions on making outlandish ads? Giant robots, beach babes and crazy celebrity cameos – as well as Kendrick starring as Hot Party Girl #1 and Johnson voicing a skateboarding cat.

“It’s a shame Newcastle didn’t have the budget to actually produce and air this ad. I was really looking forward to a huge paycheck for doing no real work at all,” said Anna Kendrick. “Indie cred from award-winning films is great and all, but I can’t buy a new car with indie cred.”

“Newcastle asked me to be in its Big Game ad, and I wish they would’ve made it, because I truly believe it would’ve been the greatest football-related thing I’ve ever done,” said Keyshawn Johnson. “For years, I’ve dreamed of voicing a skateboard-riding cat in a beer commercial, and thanks to Newcastle, I nearly achieved that oddly specific goal.”

Fans can join in on the fun at www.IfWeMadeIt.com or by following Newcastle on Facebook and Twitter, where they’ll find a variety of humorous content related to the astonishing Big Game ad that would have blown the world’s mind – everything except the ad, of course.

The program was created in partnership with Droga5 and is part of Newcastle’s long-running “No Bollocks” campaign, which takes a lighthearted, no-nonsense, honest approach to marketing by shining a light on the silly, stale and sometimes deceptive clichés often found in beer advertising.

www.IfWeMadeIt.com

Inspired by Hefeweizen, Jelly Belly Introduces DRAFT Beer flavored Jelly Beans.

The following is the press release:
When candy makers at Jelly Belly Candy Company set out to create the world’s first beer flavored jelly bean, the question wasn’t how; it was what. Ale or Lager? Stout? Lambic? Pilsner? In the end, the company opted to pay homage to its German ancestry with a Hefeweizen-inspired ale flavor, and Draft Beer Jelly Belly® jelly beans took shape.



Beer has been a highly-requested flavor by consumers for decades. Jelly Belly is known as much for flavor innovation as perfection. The research and development team wanted to get it just right before announcing the new flavor to the world.



“This took about three years to perfect,” says Ambrose Lee (shown above), research and development manager for Jelly Belly Candy Company. “The recipe includes top secret ingredients, but I can tell you it contains no alcohol.”



The effervescent and crisp flavor is packed in a golden jelly bean with an iridescent finish. Beer connoisseurs will find the flavor profile to be clean with notes of wheat and a touch of sweetness. The aroma is mildly bready. While Draft Beer packs a flavor punch, it is alcohol free.


above: the new Jelly Belly flavor is slightly iridescent in color to emulate real beer.

“Usually the factory has a sweet and fruity aroma, but when we’re making this flavor it’s just like being in an ale house,” says Jeff Brown (shown below), vice president in charge of manufacturing for Jelly Belly Candy Company.



“Anyone who enjoys a good, cold beer will enjoy Draft Beer Jelly Belly beans for the simple fact that it tastes just as you’d imagine,” says Rob Swaigen, vice president of marketing for Jelly Belly Candy Company.

“I love the flavors in a good beer and Jelly Belly has managed to get that from brew to bean in an incredible way,” says Jackie Dodd, beer expert, cookbook author, and the voice behind the popular cooking with craft beer blog The Beeroness. “Jelly Belly found a way to fit 15 pints in the palm of your hand, they deserve an award.”



Draft Beer Jelly Belly beans are a wonderful gift for beer lovers for Father’s Day, birthdays, and even St. Patrick’s Day and Oktoberfest. The new flavor will be available at candy counters throughout the world in early 2014.

The Making Of:


Draft Beer is the latest in a long line of flavor innovations from Jelly Belly Candy Company. The company first created a non-alcoholic gourmet flavor in 1977 with Mai Tai. Since then, more flavors from Blackberry Brandy to Strawberry Daiquiri were developed, inspired by popular cocktails. Over the years, favorite flavors like Piña Colada (1983), Margarita (1995) and Mojito (2010) have helped carve out the Jelly Belly Cocktail Classics® collection of six cocktail flavors.

Flavor innovation doesn’t stop with the Jelly Belly bean flavor itself. Thoughtfully combining Draft Beer with other Jelly Belly bean flavors create “beer cocktail” flavors, a beverage trend among craft beer connoisseurs, including The Beeroness blog:

2 Draft Beer + 1 Peach = Beer Sangria
2 Draft Beer + 1 Red Apple = Beer cider
2 Draft Beer + 1 Lemon Lime + 1 TABASCO® = Michelada



The new flavor will debut at Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco and ISM in Cologne, Germany. The Beeroness will host a Tweet Up at 21st Amendment, 563 Second Street in San Francisco, on January 21 to introduce the new Draft Beer flavor to her beer-loving fans.

Jelly Belly beans contain four calories per bean and are fat free, peanut free, dairy free, gluten free, gelatin free, vegetarian and OU Kosher certified. For information, visit www.jellybelly.com.

Introducing The Ponysaurus Brewing Co. And Their Beautifully Branded Beers.

Launched just 2 months ago by David Baldwin, Keil Jansen and Nick Johnson, the Ponysaurus Brewing Co. in Durham, North Carolina touts itself as a 'forward-thinking, backward-tasting brewery based in Durham, NC, creating beers that are meant to be savored, appreciated, contemplated, philosophized, studied, nuzzled, and mindfully guzzled.'



above: David Baldwin, Keil Jansen and Nick Johnson of the Ponysaurus Brewing Co.

With seven craft brews thus far under their label, the beautifully branded beer just released photos of their bottle, label, packaging and collateral design by Baldwin& (who is part owner of the brewery), designer Kellyn McGarity, writer Chad Temples and illustrator Steven Nobel who helped out on the Ponysaurus icon.














The Beers:

Degarde:
An homage to higher-gravity French farmhouse ales, Biere de Garde roughly translates to “beer for keeping.” Our version reflects the historical realities of this style of farming, when brewers made do with what was on hand. With three types of barley, wheat, rye, and oats, its aroma smacks of apple, pear,almond, and vanilla, with just a hint of lemon rind.


IPA:
For our IPA, we used the traditional West Coast India Pale Ale as our template, then forgot where we put the template, then created something completely different. It’s a simple, easily enjoyable IPA with a crisp bouquet of lemon citrus, grapefruit rind, and melon. Tangerine and passion fruit dominate the hop flavor, but without the usual overwhelming bitterness.


Fig:
Our take on the crisp, flavorful ales brewed by farmers specifically for summer refreshment, the Fig Saison starts with several varieties of wheat, barely, rye, and, of course, figs. With a complex mix of yeast and fruit aromas that perfectly match its higher level of carbonation, the Fig Saison pours a rich red color and finishes dry with a mix of fruit, floral, spice, and subtle fig-ish notes.


Imperial:
Created in the 18th Century by British brewers for the kinda scary Czars of Russia, the Imperial Stout was designed to be dark, strong, and hardy enough to handle the long and perilous voyage across the Baltic Sea. And you do not want to disappoint the Czars of Russia. Our version is made to stand the test of time, too, featuring rich flavors of chocolate, toffee, coffee, currant, and vanilla. Budem zdorovy!


Reserve:
The result of our finest brewing efforts, the Ponysaurus Réserve is a Belgian Dark Strong Ale featuring rich brown malts and Belgian candy syrup made in-house. Flavorful Belgian yeast yields a complex yet elegant set of fruit and floral notes, while the candy syrup ferments almost completely, resulting in a scarily drinkable beer clocking in at just under 10% ABV.


Weissbier:
A celebration of traditional German wheat beers, our Weissbier features the classic banana and clove flavors, with the refreshing tartness and citrus notes that can only be found when the beer is at its freshest. We serve the beer cloudy on purpose, as the suspended yeast is crucial to its overall impression.


Vidieri:
A collaboration between Ponysaurus and local chocolatier Videri, our Chocolate Stout is designed to mimic the pure simplicity of a bar of dark chocolate. With a simple grain bill and fresh cocoa nibs added directly to the beer for ultimate flavor commingling, the result is a dark, clean beer that tastes more like artisan chocolate than chocolate cake.

Not available in liquor stores, you have to be a locoal to get a taste of their brews. The beer can be found at Geer Street Garden, Poole's Diner, Watts Grocery, and/or Mateo



Ponysaurus Brewing Co.

Beautiful Beer Coasters With Witty Quotes For Letterpress Lovers.

This complete collection of 6 letterpress coasters with display stand by Nathan Mummert makes a great gift for the artisanal or craft beer enthusiast.




Each of the beautifully designed and eco-friendly coasters feature quotes from beer drinkers Jack Nicholson, Bart Simpson, Ben Franklin, W.C. Fields, Jim Morrison and Frank Sinatra.






Made in the USA, each printed piece is delicately handcrafted by a vintage 1960′s letterpress:


Designed for visibility, the 6 pub/bar coasters are well displayed by an eco-friendly premium bamboo stand, engraved with the Beer Press logo.



Price for the decorative and functional set and stand is $34.99

Buy them here

Heineken Does Denim. Neighborhood Collaborates With The Brand For The Heineken100 Program.

Heineken, the world's most international brewer, debuts their exclusive denim collaboration with Japanese brand NEIGHBORHOOD for the #Heineken100 program, an exclusive seeding program that celebrates Heineken's "Man of the World."



Overseen by #Heineken100 Creative Director Chris Gibbs (owner of West Coast shop UNION Los Angeles), the indigo denim, rigid narrow jeans include exclusive Heineken green cross-stitching, a custom green leather label, and Heineken-printed label with personalized packaging.





"Similar to Heineken, NEIGHBORHOOD is an international brand that truly believes in providing consumers quality, and is at the forefront of strategic lifestyle partnerships," says Belen Pamukoff, brand director of marketing, HEINEKEN USA. "NEIGHBORHOOD's dedication to this collaborative project has provided the #Heineken100 program a unique offering like no other."



"When working with Heineken on the partnership for this year's program, NEIGHBORHOOD was one of the first brands that came to mind thanks to their signature denim collection, " says #Heineken100 creative director Chris Gibbs. "Both Heineken and I wanted to expand the horizon of this year's products, and also work with a brand that had international reach but selective distribution."

Announced earlier this year as the creative director for the 2013 #Heineken100 program, this is the third partnership under Gibbs' direction.



Prior to the debut of the #Heineken100 X NEIGHBORHOOD denim the brand also released their joint KILLSPENCER backpack in October, and two collaborative chukka boots in September 2013 with acclaimed designer Mark McNairy (all shown above).

Heineken plans to debut their final #Heineken100 collaborative project with iconic artist Eric Haze during the Art Basel Miami Beach fair in December 2013.

"For this project, I wanted to use contrasting stitch colors to evoke different emotions-especially Heineken's signature green," says NEIGHBORHOOD designer, Shinsuke Takizawa. "I am proud to share a product that not only showcases the brand quality, but also highlights a part of my culture with a niche audience that genuinely appreciates it."




In its fourth year, the #Heineken100 influencer program identifies and celebrates various tastemakers across the nation that represent Heineken's "Man of the World." The collaborative products are exclusively available to the 100 individuals on the #Heineken100 list.

Previous collaborations include: Mark McNairy saddle shoes, a Public School camouflage duffle bag, a Tsovet watch, Android Homme sneakers, and tote bags designed by fashion duo Dee & Ricky.

Video footage of Chris Gibbs and NEIGHBORHOOD discussing the #Heineken100 partnership:


Information and images courtesy of PR Newswire and Heineken