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Organization: Volume Public Relations Location: Greenwood Village, CO Title of Entry: “Cerveza Imperial: Can This Beer Save the Planet?” Category: 172c. Strategic Communications – Media Relations/Publicity – Publicity Campaign

How do you promote a sustainable product in a sustainability-rich environment? Volume Public Relations was faced with this challenge when Cerveza Imperial approached the agency to develop a campaign to build brand awareness in Colorado.

Volume Public Relations and Cerveza Imperial chose to leverage the fact that Imperial is the only “water positive” beer in the world, meaning the product has a nonexistent water footprint. The agency faced the challenge of differentiating Imperial from the numerous craft breweries in Colorado, and spotlighting Imperial’s sustainability in an already eco-conscious environment.

The agency coordinated a campaign utilizing event planning, social media and traditional media to communicate with consumers on multiple platforms. Volume Public Relations and Cerveza Imperial worked with a Colorado-based nonprofit, enrolled in local beer festivals, invested in water-conservation initiatives and sponsored a fundraiser to project Imperial’s message.

The campaign spanned six months and successfully generated more than 250 online press releases, 30 broadcast segments, four unique print articles and increased sales by 20 percent. Thanks to Volume Public Relations’ award-winning campaign, Cerveza Imperial differentiated their brand in a congested market.