Budweiser x Sir Peter Blake | World’s first fridge frame

Two icons of culture unite as Budweiser launch the world’s first fridge frame in a new limited-edition can campaign. Budweiser joins forces with legendary Pop Art artist, Sir Peter Blake, to launch an exclusive can which doubles as a collectable piece of Pop Art.

Weber Shandwick UK reached out to Simple Design Works to help create an interactive exhibition. The vision was for the limited-edition can to be displayed as a work of art – reminiscent of a museum exhibit – while chilling it to a constant cool 5°C.

Sir Peter Blake x Budweiser collaboration

Overall the mission was to celebrate and raise awareness for the Budweiser and Sir Peter Blake collaboration, making art accessible for all and showcasing Budweiser’s role in popular culture.

The central standout feature to the campaign was the Budweiser can being showcased in the ‘world’s first fridge frame’ at an interactive exhibition in Shoreditch. Budweiser offered beer lovers and art enthusiasts alike to visit the experience at London’s vibrant Truman Brewery where gallery staff would open the frame and present cans to the public.

We collaborated with the PR and creative teams to consider the outdoor practicalities and strategies to overcome them, within an already-established time frame. This wasn’t a one-off event. The frame was to tour some of the country’s biggest cultural institutions so more people could sample the art.

Shaping purpose and aesthetics

Having found the right strategy to keep the beer cool, we produced an initial prototype to test the functioning elements.

This frame had to be on point to achieve the right aesthetics. We applied styling inspired by the Budweiser and Sir Peter Blake brands, and in the spirit of a museum experience. A simple black frame was agreed to allow the colourful can design to capture the eye.

Working closely with Weber Shandwick UK, we arranged regular communications to ensure the concept of the fridge frame campaign and their tailored DOOH campaign were always aligned.

Creating an immersive experience

Fridge frame came to life through a truly interactive experience which was complete with museum-appropriate security and a white glove service from gallery staff when handling the cans. Visitors also had the chance of winning one of ten special hand-signed cans by Sir Peter Blake himself.

The exhibition was supported by a supercharged press office and custom assets ahead of the can launch in selected Tesco supermarkets.

The impact

The exhibition drove foot traffic of 2,000 people per hour and landed a combined reach of 88m in media placements. It achieved over 20 pieces of coverage in national, lifestyle and trade titles including The Sunday Times, The Sun, Campaign and art magazine Apollo.

Impressively it caused a 22% uplift in sales when compared to the regular cans sold the prior month.

With the collaboration sparking conversation across the drinks and art world, the cans are now trading as collector’s items. The Design Museum is currently discussing acquiring the entire exhibit as the signature representation of Blake’s life work.

Going back to the original challenge, it helped Budweiser position itself as culturally switched-on and urbane by taking Pop Art back into the hands and hearts of British consumers allowing them to appreciate the beauty of art in their everyday lives.

Budweiser x Sir Peter Blake | World’s first fridge frame

Sir Peter Blake x Budweiser collaboration

Shaping purpose and aesthetics

Creating an immersive experience

The impact

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