Kozel brings the village to town
A giant installation 14 meters high and 12 meters wide, which refers in the collective imagination to the "horse" of Troy, returns to be reflected among the skyscrapers in Milan's Piazza Gae Aulenti, a harbinger of news. It is Olda, the goat that has been a living symbol - for more than 40 years - of respect for the beer tradition and community values of Kozel, the world's best-selling and most popular Czech beer , with its 4.5 million hectoliters sold in 48 countries.
Launched in the market to enrich Birra Peroni'spremium offering, in its first 12 months in our market it has won the approval of more than two million Italian households, with a repurchase rate of 36 percent (so much so that it has been included by IRI among the Top Launches 2021 in the Food & Beverage sector).
Olda's first appearance last spring accompanied the launch of the brand in our market. Today marks the restart of live experiences for Birra Peroni.Intense teasing on the IG and FB social channels of Kozel and Frank Matano, its partner in crime since last year, told the story of the project to bring the giant goat back to Gae Aulenti; Kozel also involved Nina Palmieri and Pierluigi Pardo, who will narrate live the inauguration of the Kozel Village. Its construction kicked off between Thursday, May 12 and Tuesday, May 17. The installation, made of FSC-labeled fir wood from a certified, environmentally friendly supply chain, contains within it a special pub recreated for the occasion.
Thus, from Friday, May 20 to Sunday, May 22, the Kozel Village will come to life around the totemic goat in Gae Aulenti Square. On an area of 816 square meters, the charming and hospitable atmosphere of Velké Popovice will be recreated. A three-day event of beer tastings, workshops and games. A time of celebration, sharing and fun that aims to catapult consumers into the world of Olda and its small Czech village.
The Milan "village," which will move on tour during the summer months, represents the European debut of this format. Choice justified by the signs of positivity found: " After the success of the previous campaign, we thought of bringing to life an even more fun, festive, and lighthearted format that could restore the public's desire to return to sharing live experiences, as well as Kozel's mission and core values. Kozel is 'beer with a village in it,' this means tradition, hospitality and collaboration but most of all 'being together' and 'feeling a community.' By recreating the village of Velké Popovice we will engage the consumer, catapulting them into the world of Olda, there will be many moments under the banner of lightness and lightheartedness. We will work a lot on these concepts, which are peculiar to us, exploiting various communication levers: from digital to PR and Media relations strategy, from the event in the square to the TV spot and the summer tour. We will continue to invest heavily in this brand, to strengthen its presence in the Italian market " - says Francesca Bandelli, Marketing & Innovation Director Birra Peroni.
The Kozel Village will include several corners, including agame area (Forza 4, Giant Hammer, dice, hoop throw in the goat's horns, giant Jenga), afun pour area consisting of as many as 6 meters of wooden counter to taste the authentic Kozel tapping technique, abarber shop area to style your beard and even an area where you can braid your hair in classic "village" style. Plus three bars, apicnic area and beer garden, food pairing and photo corner. A great event, then, designed to engage and entertain visitors.
Kozel will, then, be present on TV with a commercial subject to a major investment , on air from the first week of April until the end of August: 11 weeks of programming on the main networks (Rai, Mediaset, La7), as well as on the most important satellite pay and digital channels (Sky, Discovery).
The commercial, made in a humorous and ironic style, tells the story of Kozel's values. And it traces the many of the experiences consumers will find in the Village of Milan. The undisputed protagonist is theunfailing Olda, along with her villagers who have been taking care of their goat for generations. All together, to tell the story of their passion for their beer, the community spirit that unites them, and the lightheartedness that lies behind a simple gesture: a nice toast in company with a mug of Kozel beer.
In the past 12 months Kozel's production has been more heavily involved in our country. It started in the spring of last year with Kozel Lager, in the Peroni plant in Padua, in full respect of the original recipe, which involvescareful selection of raw materials and double decoction. A result made possible by the collaboration between master brewers and high production standards. As of today, to meet the demand of the Italian market, it also involves the Rome plant and includes the Kozel Dark variant.
