GUINNESS – BLACK SHINES BRIGHTEST

The background

Africa is a hugely significant region for Guinness and will only grow in importance in the decades to come. It is the youngest continent on the planet and is predicted to account for more than half of the world’s population growth by 2050.

By 2021, the brand was strong but we needed to adapt to changing context.

The competition was intensifying, from international and local beers. Category growth was coming from occasions where Guinness wasn’t an obvious fit; casual moments where easy drinking products and spirits were more natural choices than a dark, rich stout. The media environment was shifting too, with a rapid growth of social media usage.

Finally, our audience was changing too. The younger generation had a different energy, style and set of values. There was a danger that Guinness would be tied in their minds to an older, masculine archetype that no longer felt relevant. Guinness was under-represented amongst this younger ‘LPA-24’ generation, which made up a quarter of category sales but under 20% of Guinness drinkers.

The insight

Wide-ranging research with consumers, artists, journalists and photographers gave us a rich understanding of contemporary and emergent culture in Africa. A vivid picture emerged of a generation rejecting the norms and expectations of the past and coming together to create its own future. With an infectious ingenuity, resourcefulness and optimism.

We wanted to express this energy in a new creative platform for Guinness that could connect the audience to the Guinness brand and product.

The idea

Black Shines Brightest

Black Shines Brightest represented a significant shift for Guinness in Africa. A long-term platform designed to underpin everything the brand does, from product comms to football sponsorship.

We collaborated with influencers and culture makers across the continent and creative work covered everything from outdoor and TV to live events to in-bar activation.

The results

In total, Guinness drinkers across the five key African markets increased by a staggering +10.9% from Oct-Dec 2020 to Oct-Dec 2021. We added 1.5 million drinkers to the brand.

As you would expect, these penetration increases correlated with significant increases in sales. Guinness in Africa grew +19% Net Sales Value in Diageo’s H1 interim results versus the same period the year before.

The campaign impact of Black Shines Brightest was x4 higher than norms across all KPIs in Nigeria (salience, positioning, campaign statements and conversion to trial), and x2.5 norms in Kenya.

Guinness was already the most talked about beer brand in the world. Black Shines Brightest

lifted the brand to top spot in Africa too. Following the launch of the platform, the brand has

moved from number 3 in social share of voice (SSOV) to number 1, where it has remained

since ever since.

Despite being only a few months old, Black Shines Brightest has already achieved all of its

objectives. Driving penetration, increasing brand love and building a modern Guinness that

can match the dynamism and energy of the world’s youngest continent.