Corona is one of the world’s most iconic beers, practically synonymous with beaches, lime, and relaxation. But Gen Z drinkers don’t reach for beer the same way their Millennial and Gen X predecessors did – they choose flavor. These “flavor seekers” were opting for alternatives like seltzers and malt beverages filled with artificial ingredients. When they picked up a Corona, they put a twist on the traditional squeeze of lime and crafted their own cocktails like the Corona Sunrise or Blue Corona.
To quench their thirst for flavorful, unfiltered refreshment, Corona created something new: Corona Sunbrew Citrus Cerveza. Brewed with real orange and lime peels, Sunbrew is full of real lime and orange flavor without artificial ingredients.
With a summer 2024 launch, we knew we had to get the beer of the summer in the hands of Gen Zers. Our challenge was to capture their elusive attention and telegraph the real citrus flavor of Corona Sunbrew that would pique their curiosity.
Gen Z is arguably the most observed generation in human history. With the ability to get millions of eyeballs on their day-to-day lives via social media, we’ve effectively watched them grow up from eating Tide pods to quiet-quitting their first jobs. Rather than present a polished, perfected version of themselves like Millennials before them, they show up digitally exactly as they are IRL. And honestly, we love that. Because when we encounter true, unfiltered realness, it’s refreshing and unexpected. The same could be said for Corona Sunbrew – a delicious, citrusy cerveza brewed with juice and peels from real oranges and limes amidst a sea of uninspiring flavor.
Not only did we need to capture the authenticity Gen Z exudes, but Corona Sunbrew needed to stand out as a beacon of unfiltered refreshment in a social media sea of celebrity-sponsored posts and PR package unboxings. So we set out to recruit East Coast Gen Z influencers who let their true selves shine in every piece of content to be the first to announce Corona Sunbrew’s regional launch. And we didn't stop there – we knew we couldn’t just ask them to take a few sips and recite marketing copy. To capture the refreshing realness of Corona Sunbrew and Gen Z’s attention, we needed to think outside the cardboard box.
We started with a brilliantly simple idea. What if we wrapped our delicious Corona Sunbrew in life-like orange and lime peels that felt and smelled like the real thing? We immersed ourselves in the craft, knowing every detail mattered to recreate the sensorial experience of peeling a freshly picked piece of citrus. We meticulously selected materials and refined prototypes to perfect the texture of our orange rind from holding it in hand to satisfyingly pulling it away from the bottle within. To elevate the experience further, we infused the rinds with essential oils, releasing a fresh burst of citrus aroma when peeled—seamlessly reinforcing the real orange essence bottled within Corona Sunbrew. To build anticipation and solidify the fresh-from-the-grove experience, we shipped the wrapped bottles in fruit crates that lit up with sunshine when opened. The result was a “peel and reveal” moment in which our influencers unveiled Corona Sunbrew to the northeast in a way that felt fresh, immersive, and undeniably shareable.
