Truly heralds the messy return of nightlife in a new campaign
Goodby's 'Do it for the Flavor' pushes Boston Beer's hard seltzer brand as bar business ramps up.
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A new campaign from Truly, Boston Beer Co.’s hard seltzer brand, reminds consumers of the jubilation—and frequent aggravation—associated with going out on the town after two years of pandemic-induced dormancy.
A 30-second ad from Goodby Silverstein & Partners called “Do It for the Flavor” celebrates drinkers’ adventurous sides, recognizing the benefits and drawbacks of meeting new people in social settings and breaking out of typical routines, and how exhilarating that all can be.
“After the two years of Zoom, Netflix and food delivery, it’s a little too easy to stay home,” Jeff Goodby, the agency's co-chairman and partner, said in an email to Ad Age. “We want to remind people what going out and socializing is all about. Making new stories, meeting new people—it’s messy, but that’s the flavor of life.”
The ad begins in a crowded bar where a man receives a can of Truly just as another patron alongside him picks a glass up from the bar and accidentally strikes him in the face with a rising elbow. “Why do we go out?” a voiceover asks. “We get dressed up, knocked down, stood up, hit on, ripped off and rejected. Why do we go anywhere?”
The pandemic did more than shut down the venues where seltzer drinks were growing; it also interrupted roaring momentum in the category, where flavorful, low-calorie drinks have become fashionable alternatives to beer. Seltzers are still taking share from their malt cousins in the beer family, but growth has been dispersed among brands, with newer entries, like Molson Coors’ Topo Chico and Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Bud Light Seltzer gaining share on more established names like Truly, which was introduced in 2016.
The top three hard seltzer brands were flat or down for the four-week period ended Feb. 20 versus the same period a year ago, according to IRI figures interpreted by Beer Marketer’s Insights. Mark Anthony Brands’ White Claw remains the leader, maintaining a 42% share in the period. Truly, the No. 2 brand, saw its share slide from 27% to about 24%; while No. 3 Bud Light Seltzer held steady at 11%, Beer Marketer’s Insights figures show.
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Gainers in the category were led by Topo Chico, which saw share rise to 11% thanks in part to a national distribution push from Molson Coors. Gallo Winery’s High Noon brand doubled its share to 2% of the seltzer category, while Diageo’s Lone River Ranch Water grew to 1%.
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The new Truly ads will be broadcast on network television including during the NHL playoffs and finals on ESPN and ABC, and on Bravo, ESPN, Food Network, HBO Max, Hulu, Peacock, and NFL Network, a spokesperson said. Digital activations are planned on social channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube, along with programmatic in contextual placements and through brand partnerships with Barstool Classic and the NHL.
“We’ve always been an innovative, inclusive, joyful brand, and the goal of our new ‘Do It for the Flavor’ campaign is to inspire people to connect, explore and find joy out there in the world,” said Lesya Lysyj, chief marketing officer of Boston Beer Co., who called Truly a "megabrand" that's in the top 10 of all beer brands. “We think now, more than ever, we stand for joy.”
