Boréale (Les Brasseurs du Nord)
Regaining Craft Credibility

The Purpose

Boréale was founded in the north of Quebec in the late 80s and was a pioneer of the Quebec microbrewing movement. Over the years, the brand lost a number of fans and had difficulty selling their product to younger generations. Sales were in decline for several years. Boréale had to make its brand relevant again, and relevant to a new target, without turning its back on its most faithful consumers. In 2016, Boréale repositioned its brand and redesigned the packaging for its Classics line. However, one thing was still missing in order to get back the heart and palate of Quebec’s beer enthusiasts: craft cred. So that’s exactly what lg2 aimed for.

The Challenge

After an in-depth analysis of Quebec microbrewery beer consumers, the agency outlined three challenges:
• These consumers are not loyal, they consume on average 7.5 different beer brands. Variety and novelty are important criteria for them when buying beer.
• For beer enthusiasts, Boréale is not considered a microbrewery. The company is too large and doesn’t innovate enough. This is a common perception associated with the brand despite the fact that Boréale has launched several new beers in recent years.
• They want to know the story behind the microbrewery beers they buy. Who brewed it? What ingredients and techniques were used? What was the inspiration?

The Insight

Insight 1: For millennials, Boréale’s consumer’s target, the appeal of nature and the desire to disconnect and enjoy life’s simplicities have become an aspirational luxury. With its philosophy and vision, Boréale is a perfect match: celebrating the great natural spaces of Québec by brewing beers without artifice, composed exclusively of natural ingredients.

Insight 2: Too much branding is repulsive for craft beer enthusiasts. The more disparities in a microbrewery’s portfolio there is, the better.

Solution 1: Boréale has a rich history spanning over 30 years. The positioning “Celebrate life naturally” evokes a whole universe and is a nod to Boréale’s legacy, authenticity, the call of the wild, the thirst for freedom and everything natural. We created the Relais Boréale, the brand’s boutique, to allow the brand to express itself in a different way.

Solution 2: Boréale has several specific and elaborate products outside of its Classic beers. The agency decided to bring them together and create the Artisan Series, a brand-new product line which expresses the values, history and personality of Boréale while reducing the presence of the brand or a strict design system.

The Execution

Artisan Series: The agency created the Artisan Series to satisfy our consumer’s desire to discover new beers while keeping them within the Boréale portfolio. They are inspired by Quebec’s nature and have names and visuals that support the artisanal roots of the microbrewery. The DNA of the parent brand, while still evident, is treated more discreetly. The new artisanal style of the products is emphasized through the 6-pack holder and the tailor-made recipe of each of the beers offered.

Relais Boréale: Stationed on a major road to “The North,” the Relais, meaning “rest stop” in French, is a place where people can get refreshed and share a few beers with friends. The boutique offers a direct view of the brewery, enabling visitors to discover the brand’s expertise firsthand. The space was designed to create an intuitive journey for visitors, immersing them in the natural world of Boréale from the moment they arrive with a mix of local and natural materials such as oak, concrete and plywood. The experience is complemented with a tasting wall featuring various beers and other exclusive merchandise allowing visitors to learn more about Boréale’s culture and the beer-making process.

The Impact

The brand saw over 89% increase in sales for the Artisan Series without any promotion and a 200% sales at Relais Boréale over initial sales projections. A line-up would often form outside the store and the company had to increase business hours to meet growing demand. The Relais Boréale has been open for barely a year and the company is already considering opening other Relais locations throughout Quebec. In addition, according to Boréale’s research 54% of respondents found that marketing efforts improved their perception of Boréale (67% among beer enthusiasts) and 44% or respondents said marketing efforts pushed them to buy Boréale beer in the future (62% among beer enthusiasts).