The Challenge
Guinness faced a critical challenge: inconsistent brand equity and engagement across key global markets. While its core values -power, goodness, and communion - held potential, they struggled to resonate meaningfully with diverse audiences. Guinness needed to rediscover what these values meant in different cultural contexts to unify its global communications and inspire real social moments.
The Unlock
We embarked on a comprehensive journey, speaking with stakeholders, cultural creators, and academics, while conducting ethnographic research and trade visits across 10 markets, including North America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Europe, and Asia Pacific. This deep dive uncovered how concepts of power, goodness, and communion differ by region and revealed the emotional and cultural touchpoints that make Guinness iconic.
Armed with these insights, we crafted clear, culturally resonant guidelines for expressing the brand's values, visually and emotionally.
The Impact
Our work became the foundation for Guinness’s global communications strategy, enabling the brand to consistently connect with audiences across markets while respecting local nuances. These insights shaped a brand playbook that informed campaigns and activations worldwide. Today, Guinness stands as one of the strongest and most culturally connected brands in the drinks category.
