Lucky Saint’s Marketing and E-Commerce Director, Kerttu Inkeroinen, told MAD//Fest last month, that there’s a lot more to their success than merely being disruptive.

Last year, Lucky Saint, emerged as the Marketing Society's Brand of the Year beating the might of Mattel, British Airways, and many others. So how did a small alcohol-free beer company manage to cut through and win against such formidable opponents? According to Inkeroinen, the answer lies in the brand's unique approach, guided by the mantra: "Break Rules, Honor Traditions."

Codifying Success: "Break Rules, Honor Traditions"

She told the MAD//Fest audience that at the heart of Lucky Saint’s strategy is the belief that, as a small brand with limited budgets, every action must be exponentially more effective than those of its larger competitors. The key to this effectiveness is knowing when to break industry rules and when to honor traditions. “Often, challenger brands feel the need to constantly break the rules,” she explained, “but it’s equally important to know when to lean into category conventions.”

Building a Distinctive Brand

Founded five years ago by Luke Bose, Lucky Saint entered the market at a time when 75% of people were looking to moderate their alcohol intake. However, they found the existing alcohol-free beer options lacking. Bose's solution was to create a brand that not only delivered great taste but also resonated with consumers on a personal level.

In just five years, Lucky Saint has grown to a team of 60 people, with over 15,000 distribution points across the UK and Ireland. The brand’s ambition goes beyond being the most loved alcohol-free beer in the UK; it aims to become the world’s defining alcohol-free beer brand, akin to how Dyson is synonymous with vacuums, Tesla with electric cars, and Guinness with stout.

Achieving this vision requires more than just good intentions; it requires strategic, creative, and activation efforts that defy industry norms. Inkeroinen likens this to a "David versus Goliath" battle, where Lucky Saint's "stones" are its creative and activation strategies.

Creative Strategies: Creating Tension

As Inkeroinen was keen to stress, one of Lucky Saint’s competitive edges is its creative approach. Rather than following traditional beer advertising, which often focuses on the liquid, lifestyle shots, or “no compromise” messaging, Lucky Saint deliberately does something different to build a distinctive, ownable brand. The brand’s creative strategy is rooted in creating tension by leaning into religious references, a seemingly unconventional choice for a beer brand. “It might not feel natural to have alcohol and religion together, but for us, it really does!”

This approach, however, ties back to the brand’s name, Lucky Saint, and the brewing heritage that began in monasteries centuries ago. Iconic images, such as a saint or a nun holding a beer bottle, are designed to evoke an emotional reaction and stand out in a crowded market. Lucky Saint invests heavily in long-term creative assets, working with renowned artists like Rankin and Sun Lee, to build a consistent and distinctive visual identity.

Activating the Brand: Leveraging the Alcohol-Free Advantage

Lucky Saint’s activation strategy also breaks with traditional beer marketing conventions. As an alcohol-free-only brand, Lucky Saint can tap into opportunities that are off-limits to full-strength beer brands. For example, the brand activates in the sports space, but instead of targeting viewers, it engages with participants. A notable example is Lucky Saint’s activation at the Hackney Half Marathon, where it partnered with Strava, the sports tracking app, to create a campaign that felt more like a sports drink activation than a beer promotion.

In addition, Lucky Saint leverages partnerships to further differentiate itself. A key partnership with Alcohol Change UK made Lucky Saint the official beer of “Try January,” a crucial time when consumers are focused on moderation. This collaboration gave Lucky Saint credibility and relevance, something full-strength beer brands could not achieve.

Honoring Traditions: Quality and Inclusion

While breaking the rules is essential, Lucky Saint also knows when to honor traditions. The brand brews its beer using traditional methods with natural ingredients, ensuring that the product quality meets consumers’ expectations. Additionally, Lucky Saint emphasizes the importance of serving alcohol-free beer on draft, a relatively new concept that helps integrate alcohol-free options into social settings.

The brand’s pub in Marylebone, "The Lucky Saint," is a physical embodiment of this balance between innovation and tradition. While it offers both alcoholic and alcohol-free options, it focuses on fostering social connection, recognizing that many consumers alternate between drinking and not drinking.

All the MAD//Fest 2024 sessions are now on our YouTube channel. Great to watch whilst you’re on the beach, on the train, or at work!  Over the course of the summer and next few months, we'll be summarising and highlighting several of the standout keynotes (like Kerttu's), so you can have a weekly dose of marketing inspiration!