Mike’s Hard Lemonade, the pioneer of the flavored malt beverage (FMB) category, just launched a new campaign to mark its 25th anniversary.
"Hard Days Deserve a Hard Lemonade," developed collaboration with creative agency VCCP, establishes the FMB brand as the ultimate reward after an especially difficult day.
The campaign was launched Tuesday with three 30-second spots directed by "The Perlorian Brothers" Michael Gelf and Ian Letts from production house MJZ.
Each commercial features Hank and Joel, shopkeepers at a neighborhood convenience store, as they interact with customers who’ve had hard days:
- A man in a rabbit mascot who was tackled by a football player during the game
- A delivery driver who was chased by a small but ferocious dog
- A firefighter who fell off a ladder rescuing a cat
"Was this guy's day hard enough for a Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Hank?" Joel asks. "I don't know. Was it?" Hank replies.
In all three spots, the duo asks the same questions after hearing that a customer wants to buy Mike's.
We then see flashbacks of each man having a bad day at work.
The ads end with Hank and Joel approving that what the men experienced was indeed hard enough, finally selling them a pack of Mike's Hard Lemonade.
Pioneers of FMB
Since its inception in 1999, Mike's Hard Lemonade carved out a unique space within the industry, defining what it means to be a flavored malt beverage.
This latest campaign taps into the brand’s ethos, focusing on the idea that there’s no reward quite like a cold bottle of Mike’s Hard Lemonade after a particularly tough day.
The campaign will be rolled out on social media, online video (OLV), connected TV (CTV), out-of-home (OOH), and traditional linear TV.
