AUCKLAND, Today: Kirin Hyoketsu NZ and PHD Aotearoa got in ahead of festival season with Hyoketsu City Sessions, a city-wide activation series designed to make the brand part of the pre-festival ritual.
Rolled out across Christchurch, Hamilton and Auckland, the campaign saw PHD’s content team turn local bars into Hyoketsu flagships, giving locals and visitors a new go-to before heading off to major music events.
The wider strategy stretched well beyond the venues, with out-of-home across each city, hyper-local social activity and a George FM partnership all helping drive people toward Hyoketsu as their first stop for the weekend.
“Social listening showed us that the festival experience isn’t just about the actual event, it’s about the crew, the fit, the travel and most importantly, where you start. Our pre-festival strategy made Hyoketsu an unmissable part of the festival experience.” – Heidi Thompson, PHD Content
Inside the bars, the brand leaned into a house party feel with DIY merch customisation, a bespoke live heat pressing store and a high-angle photobooth built to capture the night.
Custom art took over the walls, while local DJs provided the soundtrack, helping each venue feel like an extension of festival season before the main event had even started.
Heidi Thompson, PHD Content says, “Social listening showed us that the festival experience isn’t just about the actual event, it’s about the crew, the fit, the travel and most importantly, where you start. Our pre-festival strategy made Hyoketsu an unmissable part of the festival experience.”
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