From Heatwaves to CHILLwaves: Check out this beer brand's coolest marketing campaign yet!
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| Today, let’s talk about a “chill” but impactful guerrilla marketing campaign. Continue reading below to know how this beer brand got its message across to its target audience. From Heatwaves to CHILLwaves: Check out this beer brand's coolest marketing campaign yet! If you’ve ever walked through a city on a hot summer day and felt like you were trapped inside an oven, you’ve experienced the urban heat island effect. Concrete, asphalt, and dark rooftops absorb the sun’s heat and hold onto it like a grudge, making already hot cities even hotter. For some, this is an inconvenience. For others, especially those living in underprivileged communities where air conditioning isn’t always an option, it’s a serious health risk. After all, extreme heat can be deadly, and the most affected areas are often those with the least resources to combat it. Coors Light saw this not as a problem but as an opportunity. The brand’s goal was not just to sell more beer, but also to actually help people chill. A Refreshing Take on Outdoor Advertising Coors Light, in collaboration with creative agencies DDB Chicago and Nord DDB Denmark , launched “Chillboards” in 2023—a guerrilla marketing campaign that doubled as a public service. The idea? Paint MASSIVE, eye-catching ads on rooftops using a special reflective white paint that bounces back sunlight and reduces indoor temperatures. Basically, it wasn’t just about putting messages on rooftops but also about turning those rooftops into cooling stations. With a custom typeface designed to maximize surface coverage (because every degree matters), the Chillboards reflected 85% of sunlight, cooling rooftops by as much as 50°F (28°C). Imagine a billboard that doesn’t just advertise but also actually makes life better—that’s Chillboards in a nutshell!
The first city to experience Chillboards was Miami, Florida—a place where humidity and heat team up to make summer nearly unbearable. To execute this campaign, Coors Light, alongside Jane Gilbert, the world’s first Chief Heat Officer (yes, that’s a real job), identified rooftops in some of Miami’s hottest and most underserved neighborhoods. According to official government data, the country’s GDP grew 5.4% in the fourth quarter—its fastest pace in six quarters—bringing the full-year growth to just under the predicted 4.9%. By the end of the project, over 36,000 square feet of rooftop space had been transformed into cool, white heat-fighting billboards.
The impact? A 10°F (6°C) drop in indoor temperatures, leading to a 20% reduction in air conditioning costs, and total energy savings of around USD 40,000 annually in Miami! Not bad for a few buckets of paint and some creative thinking, right? How Chillboards Measured Up So, did the Chillboards actually work? YES! The campaign didn’t just generate buzz; it also delivered real-world benefits such as:
The campaign also bagged awards from various award-giving bodies in the industry, which include:
Congratulations, Coors Light, DDB Chicago, and Nord DDB Denmark! These figures and accolades are proof that the Chillboards campaign truly made a mark not just only in the business and marketing realm but also in the lives of the people it reached. *Applause* More than a one-time stunt? Coors Light didn’t stop in Miami… After seeing the initial success of Chillboards, the brand pledged to donate 5,000 more gallons of reflective paint to communities in need, covering over a million square feet of rooftop space. Cities in Canada, Mexico, and Brazil are next in line, proving that this wasn’t just a one-off stunt but also a movement. Other brands and municipalities have started taking notes, realizing that simple solutions can have HUGE impacts. What started as an out-of-the-box marketing campaign has evolved into a blueprint for how companies can make a tangible difference in people’s lives, all while staying true to their brand message. — As you see, Chillboards weren’t just about selling beer. They were also about redefining what marketing can do. Instead of another billboard on a highway, Coors Light put its message where it actually mattered—on the rooftops of people who needed help the most. This campaign is proof that marketing doesn’t have to be loud and intrusive to be effective. Sometimes, the best way to make an impact isn’t with a flashy ad but with a bucket of paint and a big idea. So, the next time you crack open a cold one, remember: Coors Light isn’t just “Made to Chill” —it’s helping communities chill, too. … and that’s a campaign worth toasting to. Cheers! Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful. EXCITING NEWS AHEAD The world of work has shifted, and there’s no going back. The barriers to entry have never been lower for talented professionals to work independently, and today’s massive external workforce is hardly a pandemic-produced fad. Business owners can only survive in the new work landscape by partnering with this deep talent pool. With decades of experience in both small-business entrepreneurship and executive management at PwC, I truly believe that the future of work is independent. With that, I’m happy to share with you that my book, co-authored with Walter Scott Lamb, is now available on Amazon! Free Birds Revolution: The Future of Work & The Independent Mind This new bestseller is an essential read for both independent professionals and corporate executives. Here, we provide educational and practical guides to unpack the ever-growing workforce and offer you crucial ways to become a client of choice. Click on the link above to order your copy. Let this bestselling book help you future-proof your career and organization in the new world of work. Stay tuned for next Thursday’s Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing! Do you want to know how one health brand set out to convince its target audience to prioritize their health ? See it in next week’s article! |
Miles Everson
CEO of MBO Partners and former Global Advisory and Consulting CEO at PwC, Everson has worked with many of the world's largest and most prominent organizations, specializing in executive management. He helps companies balance growth, reduce risk, maximize return, and excel in strategic business priorities.
He is a sought-after public speaker and contributor and has been a case study for success from Harvard Business School.
Everson is a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants. He graduated from St. Cloud State University with a B.S. in Accounting.
