Joe’s beerhouse in Windhoek is not so much a bar and restaurant as it is an institution.

It’s quirky style and eclectic ambience make it a local favourite and is true to its pay-off line “Live the legend”.

This year the brand celebrated its 20th Anniversary and Arctic Circle was tasked with creating something special. And boy did Windhoek get it!

Our challenge was to create a campaign that:

  • Promoted the birthday bash
  • Increased sales
  • Reconnected the brand with its local audience
  • Promoted the Facebook fan page database (Fans and likes).

Our starting point was to create a competition of sorts. One which gave back to loyal Joe’s customers and offered them a chance to win some amazing prizes. But how could we make this competition different to all the others out there? And how could we give it the authentic Joe’s treatment?

We created a band.

The Legends of Joe’s were created as a more fun and engaging way for people to learn about the campaign without being spoken to in the usual literal manner. (We think the usual “Enter here by…” has kind of been done to death)

The concept was approved and the creative team was flown out to Windhoek - or ‘Nam’ as they like to call it - to make magic in record time. The Legends of Joe’s were dressed, photographed, filmed and recorded in Windhoek in various secret locations and away from the public eye.

A series of teaser videos was released online. These videos showed the band as the most die-hard, loyal Joe’s fanatics and a tribute band to all things Joe’s Beerhouse.

Jasmine, Ollie, Eddie and Apostrophe S (Joe’s) thought that they were going to make it big and were on their way to glory! (not really but it did appear that way, they actually were pretty normal guys who liked beer like the rest of us)

There was just one problem. They had no lyrics. And they were terrible.

So the call for help went out.

We asked Joe’s customers to submit their legendary story from Joe’s Beerhouse so that the band could use it as lyrics.

Every day a new message on Facebook was posted begging for lyrics. Billboards advertising the band’s first single “Submit your legendary story” went up, as did posters, online banners and more videos.

Even radio ads went out with a clip of the band rehearsing their song. (And struggling miserably).

Soon stories of legendary times at Joe’s came flooding in.

Stories of parties, friendship, fond memories and drunken debauchery were all entered.

The winning stories were chosen, the band had lyrics and were finally able to perform their debut single live at the Joe’s anniversary party to a packed-out crowd.

The party was epic, the band rocked and the winners went home with prizes to the value of more than N$ 30 000.

The Joe’s facebook page got more hits than Bryce Lawrence in a Springbok bar, the videos were shared faster than one night in Paris, and the client got to party like a rock star for the night!

Creative director Martinique Treadaway says this about the campaign:

“People need to be able to engage with your brand, and enjoy having it in their lives.

This campaign achieved exactly that, by creating characters that people could laugh along with, as well as getting them to really live the brand by telling us their Joe’s stories. It’s a truly unique way of running a competition!”

Charlie Gilbert, copywriter, says: “The Joe’s brief was our chance to look at competitions in a completely different way.

Creatively it was a lot of fun but most importantly I think we showed that smaller budgets and brave clients make for a great opportunity to entertain and inspire.”

Marco de Sousa, art director, echoes his thoughts:

“It feels great to be a part of a campaign that transcends conventional thinking.

It feels even better when your client gives you the go-ahead. This campaign is a case in point that awesome things can come from a shoe string budget.”

All in all the campaign was a great success and we look forward to doing more exciting work with Joe’s Beerhouse.

We also wish The Legends of Joe’s the best of luck in their quest to take over the Namibian music scene.

By @Gilbert_Charlie