Belgo, a Belgian craft beer brewed in Vietnam, has launched a beer-currency campaign. It allows beer lovers to exchange any mass market beer for the higher end Belgo and taste the difference. “Belgo is about adding a twist”, said Gauthier Lagasse, CEO and Co-founder of Belgo. “We knew that, in a place where mass market beers are widely available, we had to be disruptive to get people to try our beer.”
It is brewed in-house with fresh ingredients, some of them shipped straight from Belgium. It provides an artisanal Belgian beer experience in Vietnam. Every beer honors the rich tradition and history of Belgian beer brewing. They even have a Belgian brew master on board to make sure every beer meets the Belgian standards. Of course, this means that the craft brews also have a craft price.
We are a small brand but our ambitions are large.
Magdalena Bialasiewicz, Marketing Director at Belgo
How is Belgo convincing people in a country with access to some of the cheapest beer in the world to take a chance with a more expensive brew? By tasting the difference. “We are a small brand, but our ambitions are large”, said Magdalena Bialasiewicz, Marketing Director at Belgo. “We believe this beer-currency platform is an excellent concept to show that we don’t need a big budget to stand out and show people Belgo’s quality.”
The beer brand launched a vending machine that allowed users to swap regular beers for a cold Belgo beer. Beer-lovers from across the city found whatever mass market beer they could from local convenience stores and bars and flocked to the machine to finally try a quality Belgo without having to really pay for it.
This beer-currency vending machine was launched on Ho Chi Minh City’s most prominent walking street. Belgo also has 3 beer pubs across the city, serving their brews and authentic Belgian food for locals and expats.
After the vending machine, the brand launched the promotion in their pubs, leading mass market beer drinkers right to the Belgian beer Walhalla. Patrons can walk in with any regular beer and out with a cold Belgo. The brand hopes people will stay for the Belgian Truffle Fries.
The promotion is an important reminder for local F&B businesses all around the world. It’s an inspiration for how, with a small budget, a local craft beer can compete for awareness with much larger multinationals. All you need is creativity and a whole lot of bravery. Beer lovers can take advantage of the same promotion at any of the Belgo pubs in Ho Chi Minh City. Available while supplies last.
