Greene King’s Ice Breaker highlights the awkwardness of social situations
Greene King’s Ice Breaker pale ale’s latest ad campaign has shed light on the highs, lows and awkwardness of social situations.
The campaign, conceptualized by Engine Creative, is called ‘It’s Just A Name’ and consists of three films where people are inspired by their can of Ice Breaker to be bold and break the ice in a social situation. But every time they try, they realize that Ice Breaker is just a name and doesn’t promise any removal of social awkwardness.
In one film, a man hugs another in a pub and wonders how long the embrace should last. He looks at his can of Ice Breaker for inspiration. The voiceover concludes: “Ice Breaker – it’s just a name.” The other film showcases a woman plucking up the courage to talk to a circle of people, but they ignore her. And in the third film, a man ponders whether to greet another with a handshake or fist bump, then unexpectedly runs his hand down the other’s face.
The films will run on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Samsung connected TV (CTV). The art director of the campaign was Doug Redfern and the copywriter was Joe Roberts.
Annabel Clark, senior brand manager at Greene King, said: “This is the first creative campaign of this size we have run for the brand, so we know it had to be bold and impactful. When the Engine team presented the creative idea, it felt so relevant to social situations we have all been in recently, as well as fitting with the brand name perfectly. Since launching the brand in 2019, Ice Breaker has been a firm favorite with consumers and is now the fastest-growing pale ale in the UK market.”
Credits
Marketing director (Brewing and brands): Will Hemmings
Marketing controller: Alex Radcliffe
Senior brand manager: Annabel Clark
Ice Breaker brand manager: Amina Ali
Creative Credits
Creative director: Steve Hawthorne
Art director: Doug Redfern
Copywriter: Joe Roberts
Head of strategy: Laura Sammarco
Strategist: George Poynter
Account management: Kelly Mahon, Richard Williams and Harriet Pinnington
Client managing director: Ed Norrington
Agency producer: Henry Davies
Director: Devon Ferguson (Birth)
Executive producer: Kate Elson
Producer: Dominic Wilcox (Birth)
Editor: Spencer Ferszt (Marshall Street Editors)
Post-production: Nineteen-Twenty
Grade: Kal Van Beers (Nineteen-Twenty)
Sound design: Tony Rapaccioli (Wave Studios)
DoP: Richard Mott