Q-Mixers

Chief Happy Hour Officer

Objectives

Like many alcohol brands during the pandemic of 2020-2021, Q Mixers enjoyed skyrocketing sales as their consumers adapted to changing social interactions with an increase in consumption. As such, Q Mixers had to sustain their momentum from quarantine growth by creating more awareness and credibility in an ever-evolving and highly populated market with an activation that drove further brand affinity and intent to purchase. 

During the pandemic, Q Mixers held virtual happy hours hosted by a world-class bartender who taught customers how to make great cocktails using their products. Then, after more than a year of being locked down, the pandemic transition evolved from being holed-up socially to where it was OK to safely gather. But people who had been isolated during that time needed a way out of the woods socially. Thus the Chief Happy Hour Officer was born. Q Mixers wanted to create a persona of someone who could show their customers how to get back into the social scene after having been cooped up due to the pandemic’s restrictions by showing people how to re-socialize in bars and restaurants safely. 

Strategy

The brand knew they needed some star power--specifically, a celebrity who exuded fun and resonated with the brand’s target demographic of living-in-the-city millennial consumers. Joel McHale, with his comedic background and on-screen persona, felt like a perfect fit.

Execution and Tactics

The campaign launched with an initial announcement of Joel being named Chief Happy Hour Officer (CHO) for Q Mixers. To ensure the activation truly resonated and was not perceived as a one-off marketing message, the brand launched The Happy Hour Playbook, featuring a happy hour guide written by Joel and featuring party tips, cocktail recipes, and pointers on socializing in a post-COVID world.

Further support was bolstered with a series of fun photos and videos featuring Joel mixing cocktails that were featured on Q Mixers’ and Joel’s social channels (paid and owned). Content was leveraged across social, digital, and paid media, alongside targeted media interviews to generate buzz around the launch.

Effectiveness and Results

The campaign yielded coverage in top tier media outlets including Forbes, Extra, BevNET, Access Daily, E! News and Daily.