Goals and objectives
The “Brouw Met Mij” campaign, developed for Grimbergen by Ads & Data Brand Studio, successfully delivered on multiple strategic and creative objectives:
- Brand Creativity & Innovation: A 100% original concept that culminated in the creation of a new Grimbergen beer. The idea was not only unique but also emotionally resonant, reinforcing the brand’s identity through storytelling and product innovation.
- Unparalleled Consumer Engagement: By involving both consumers and craft brewers in the brewing and communication process, the campaign transformed passive beer lovers into active co-creators. This participatory model set a new benchmark for consumer-driven brand experiences.
- Brand Power & Affinity: Throughout the campaign period, brand engagement and affinity rose significantly. By tapping into consumer demand for authenticity and craftsmanship, Grimbergen strengthened its position as a premium, beloved beer brand.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: The campaign was the result of seamless collaboration between product development, marketing, and sales. This integrated approach proved so effective that the campaign will continue into 2025.
“Brouw Met Mij” was not just a campaign - it was a multi-sensory experience that was seen, tasted, and celebrated.
KPI's
Earned Media Impact:
- 47 media clippings (vs. KPI of 15–20)
- Breakdown: 29 Online | 11 Print | 3 TV | 4 Radio
- Total Reach: 13,713,605 impressions
- Advertising Value Equivalent (AVE): €505,605
- ROI: 41x return on investment
The campaign’s originality and cultural relevance generated far more earned media than anticipated, turning it into a national conversation.
Paid Media Performance:
- Over 4 million targeted impressions within the T35+ demographic, delivered in three waves
- Executed across multiple channels: TV, Online Video, Native Articles, Pause Button Integration, and Premium Print
By prioritising creativity over repetition, the campaign achieved strong brand recall and emotional engagement.
Home Brewers Engagement:
- 339 unique registrations on the Grimbergen Homebrewing platform
- 202 homebrewers submitted handcrafted beers (60% participation rate)
This level of participation underscored the campaign’s authenticity and appeal to craft beer enthusiasts.
Campaign Measurement & Impact:
Based on an Ads & Data Impact Barometer survey of 300 respondents:
- Brand Awareness: 80% → 83% (+3pp)
- Ad Recognition: 51% (Benchmark: 41%)
- Likeability: 8.0 (Benchmark: 7.8)
- Attention: 7.6 (Benchmark: 7.2)
- Emotion: 7.8 (Benchmark: 7.3)
- Brand Familiarity: +9pp uplift
- Brand Consideration: +39pp uplift
The campaign exceeded industry benchmarks, building strong emotional connections and driving brand preference.
Target audience
Geography: The campaign was nationally distributed, with a primary focus on Flanders, the northern region of Belgium - Grimbergen’s strongest market.
Demographics: Targeted at men aged 35+, particularly those with an upscale profile. While male-focused, the campaign’s tone remained inclusive and broad in appeal.
Psychographics:
- Interests: Beer lovers, creatives, adventurers, and innovators
- Lifestyle: Emphasis on friendship, experimentation, and shared experiences
- Values: Pride in craftsmanship and high-quality production
- Attitudes: Early adopters who enjoy life and value authenticity
Strategy
In collaboration with Alken-Maes and Grimbergen, Ads & Data Brand Studio developed a bold and original campaign rooted in Belgium’s rich brewing culture. The strategy centered on launching a new beer variant through an interactive and consumer-driven process, executed in four key phases:
- Call to Action: A public invitation for homebrewers to participate
- Judging: A professional jury shortlisted the top three entries
- Taste & Win: A live event and public tasting to select the winner
- Develop & Sell: The winning beer was brewed and sold through retail and hospitality channels
Media channels were carefully selected to match each phase, ensuring maximum impact and audience engagement.
Creative idea
The campaign’s creative concept, “Brouw Met Mij” (Brew With Me), cleverly played on the Dutch phrase “Trouw Met Mij” (Marry Me). This metaphor was brought to life through visual and thematic storytelling, including a symbolic “wedding” between the brewer and the beer.
The winning beer—1128 Grimbergen Cuvée 2024—was brewed by a craft brewer and officially produced by the Grimbergen Abbey Brewery. The result was a seasonal, limited-edition beer that embodied the campaign’s spirit of innovation and collaboration.
Channels
Phase 1: Call to Action
- 15” OLV spot across Ads & Data’s Run of Network
- Print ad in De Standaard Magazine
- Targeted CTA on key homebrewing websites
- National press release coverage (TV, radio, digital)
- Retail and HORECA activation via newsletters, banners, POS materials
- Partnership with Brouwland for email, banner, and social media promotion
Phase 2: Judging
- Press release announcing jury actions
- Cross-media coverage across Flanders and Wallonia
Phase 3: Taste & Win
- Immersive event at Grimbergen Brewery
- Mini-program broadcast on national TV and streaming platforms (GoPlay, VRT Max)
- Three native articles published in top Belgian news outlets
Phase 4: Brewing & Selling
- 1128 Grimbergen Cuvée 2024 brewed at the Abbey
- Retail: Distributed via Colruyt Group and Prik & Tik
- HORECA: Premium giveaway campaign (buy 4, get 1 free)
- Media: TV billboarding, digital video, QR-coded Pause Button ads, and GVOD placements
Filip Peeters, a well-known Flemish actor and food influencer, served as the campaign’s ambassador, further enhancing its visibility and credibility.
Learnings
Every element of the campaign—from concept and setting to imagery and tone—was carefully orchestrated to create a cohesive and immersive experience. The metaphor of a marriage between brewer and beer resonated strongly, offering a fresh and emotionally engaging narrative.
Filip Peeters’ involvement added charisma and recognizability, making him the embodiment of the campaign. The consistent execution of the marriage theme across all touchpoints elevated the campaign’s impact.
While this metaphor can only be used once, the campaign’s success has already led to the development of a new concept for 2025.
Surprising Insights
While Belgium’s passion for beer was well known, the overwhelming engagement from the homebrewing community exceeded expectations. This validated the campaign’s core insight and creative direction.
The call-to-action phase proved exceptionally successful, prompting a reassessment of media allocation for future campaigns. A revised media plan for 2025 has already been approved based on these learnings.
Perhaps most notably, the campaign’s strength in concept and execution delivered earned media far beyond projections—transforming a marketing initiative into a cultural moment.