Ice Breaker Craft Beer Won’t Improve Your Poor Social Skills, According to New Campaign by Engine

Aug. 26, 2022

Engine Creative is launching a humorous VOD and social campaign for Greene King’s Ice Breaker pale ale showing that the brand won’t help people to break the ice in social situations. It’s just a great tasting beer, filled with hoppy goodness.  

Aiming to build recognition and awareness of the craft beer and give it a memorable identity, the campaign called "It’s Just A Name" consists of three films which shed light on the highs, lows and awkwardness of social situations. 

In the films, 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 realise that, sadly, Ice Breaker is just a name and doesn’t turn them into a social superhero. 

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, but this doesn’t guide him. They stand hugging uneasily. The voice over concludes: "Ice Breaker – it’s just a name." In another execution, a woman looks at her can of Ice Breaker, then plucks up the courage to go and talk to a circle of people, but they ignore her. Again, the voice over chimes in: "Ice Breaker, it’s just a name." In the third film, a man ponders whether to greet another with a handshake or fist bump. He looks at his can of beer for guidance, then unexpectedly runs his hand down the other’s face. The voice over concludes: "Ice Breaker, it’s just a name."

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 favourite with consumers and is now the fasted growing pale ale in the UK market. We are really excited to see these exciting new ads take the brand to the next level.”

 

Steve Hawthorne, creative director at House 337, said:

“As people emerge back into the world after the pandemic they are having to rediscover social norms and the ability to break the ice in social situations. With a name like Ice Breaker you might think that this is the perfect beer to help you do just that. But you would be wrong. Very, very wrong. Ice Breaker won’t sharpen your social skills or fill awkward silences. All it will do is fill your mouth with delicious, unfiltered, hoppy pale ale.” 

 

Breaking week commencing August 22nd, the films will run on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Samsung CTV. Art director on the campaign is Doug Redfern and the copywriter is Joe Roberts.