BRLO—
The Democracy Discount
Brand Campaign
Fighting right-wing populism with beer pricing.
Background
BRLO was founded ten years ago in Berlin, with the goal of diversifying Germany’s beer scene. They’ve since then brewed a wide range of unexpected beers in the name of openness, whilst initiating numerous norm-breaking projects within women’s football and the local Queer community. But during this decade of inclusive initiatives and craft beers, something else has been brewing in Germany: The rise of right-wing populism. AfD became the first far-right party to win a state election since 1945 and headed towards a huge result in the federal election.
Idea
If Germans open their hearts, BRLO open their taps. On the week of the election, BRLO took a bold stand against right-wing populism by introducing a new way of pricing beer. The less people vote for AfD, the less their beer will cost. Using the latest poll as the benchmark, every percentage point decreased on election day meant the Democracy Discount would increase with 20%. So in a time where BRLO’s values were at risk, they risked their business to take a stance.
Execution
By directly tying prices to election results, BRLO gave people the new, ultimate argument for voting against extremism: Extremely cheap beer. The promotion was tied to the week following the election, taking place both in BRLO’s restaurants and bars in Berlin and on their online store. The activation was launched through political social posts, posters and mobile OOH, filling both streets and feeds with their strong colours and messaging. Then promoted through posters and stickers across our venues, as well as a campaign page on BRLO.shop.
