The Beer Store (TBS), has been an iconic destination for beer in Ontario since 1927. In 2015, a limited number of private retail brands were granted permission to sell also alcohol. Despite the brand equity built with customers over decades, TBS was now facing new challenges in competing with sellers who might be more convenient to beer drinkers, especially in higher-density areas. Now, under threat of the limit of private beer sellers being lifted and alcohol being even more freely available, The Beer Store was searching for solutions to help maintain its status as a top-of-mind retailer.

While the brand boasts an immensely loyal segment of its customer base, some segments essential to growth and relevance were being ignored or under-served. Namely, segments that skewed younger than the loyalists, who are social media literate, and who are likely to live in cities. Additionally, in marketing to its customers, TBS could not show or name the beer brands it carries and needed to stand alone, further complicating the retailer’s challenge. In summary, The Beer Store needed help answering the question: How do we connect with a younger, digital-first audience who have access to alternative retail options for beer?