The Cracked Canoe Story

As the original ultra-light, low carb lager in Canada, Cracked Canoe offered beer drinkers a “better for you” option long before the health and wellness trend gained steam in the beer category. But by 2021, the brand had strong new competition and needed to establish itself as the preferred ultra-light lager in the market. Our research indicated that despite the “active lifestyle” image of competitor brands, actual consumers of ultra-light beer weren’t looking for a post-workout drink so much as they were looking for a way to continue to enjoy premium beer frequently while being a bit easier on their bodies. What’s more, these drinkers felt like they had very few actual premium options to choose from in the light beer category. So we set out to position Cracked Canoe as the premium beer lover’s light lager. To do so, we tapped into the brand’s ethos: a belief that the best things in life are savoured slowly. We developed the brand’s “Paddle Slower” platform and brought it to life in ways that provoked Canadians to make the most of their down time while inviting them to share the brand’s point of view and lifestyle.