Asahi ‘Feed Your Thirst’ Activation
A value-driven campaign that reframed drinks as everyday mealtime companions — and turned first-time trial into a weekly shopping habit.
Client:
Asahi Beverages
The brief
Asahi wanted to elevate and evolve its existing Coles-exclusive promotional platform to drive stronger conversion, incremental sales, and broader engagement across Carlton Dry and Hard Rated. The challenge? Move beyond tactical trial and instead build a campaign that felt cohesive across Coles Liquor banners, aligned seamlessly with Coles’ broader grocery strategy, and offered a compelling reason for shoppers to pick up a case as part of their weekly shop.
Our curious spark
We tapped into the core Coles mindset: “Feed Your Family for Less.” By extending this value narrative to include Asahi’s liquor portfolio, we found a natural way to bring drinks into everyday mealtime occasions. The insight was clear - shoppers are more likely to purchase when products feel relevant to routine moments and deliver instant, tangible value. So, we asked: how do we make beer and RTDs feel like part of the basket, not just an add-on?
Why this campaign mattered
Liquor is often seen as a separate mission – a different mindset and a different store.
But Feed Your Thirst blurred those lines, embedding Asahi’s flagship brands into the grocery mindset and building a promotional platform that rewarded shoppers for cross-category purchase behaviour.
It offered a clear, valuable reason to choose Carlton Dry & Hard Rated at Coles and brought grocery and liquor together into one connected path to purchase.
Activating curiosity and creativity
We built a platform, not just a promo. Feed Your Thirst became an Asahi-owned shopper asset – scalable, repeatable, and retailer-aligned – designed to flex across categories, retailers, and moments in the calendar.
The campaign repositioned drinks as essential mealtime companions, not just weekend treats, and delivered instant value at every touchpoint.
Our curious crew at work
Curious Nation developed the end-to-end Feed Your Thirst platform – from insight and creative concept through to packaging, POS, digital experience and prize fulfilment. Everything was designed to sit within Coles’ retail ecosystem while championing Asahi’s shopper objectives – helping the campaign feel ‘at home’ in every channel and at every touchpoint.
Proof that curiosity pays off
High engagement
eGift card redemption rates were among the highest seen, reflecting a strong value exchange and shopper satisfaction.
Sales uplift
Significant growth in case sales for both Carlton Dry and Hard Rated, driven by clear in-store and online visibility.
New shopper conversion
The simplicity and instant value drew in new drinkers - especially for Hard Rated - helping shift perceptions and increase penetration.
Retailer alignment
Strengthened Asahi’s partnership with Coles by building a campaign that supported both liquor and grocery missions, creating commercial wins on both sides.
Lessons in curiosity
By asking, “How do we make beer and RTDs part of the weekly shop?” we landed on an idea that married value, relevance, and routine. Feed Your Thirst showed that when brands tap into retailer comms and shopper mindsets, they don’t just drive trial — they build habits.