Pabst Blue Ribbon is underground rock ’n’ roll and the original definition of “retro-chic.” In the early 2000s, its popularity began to rise without much help from the brand itself. It was hipsters drink of choice at dive bars and backyard BBQs, breathing new life into the American lager. Seizing the opportunity, Pabst started marketing to the demographic already drawn to the beer’s blue-collar roots and low price point, while carefully trying not to alienate its new audience with overt advertising.

In an effort to honor this grassroots movement, our team developed a campaign that was clever, witty, and fully embraced the culture. The budget was low, but excitement around the agency was high, and getting scrappy was the name of the game. Our winning pitch was titled, “Charlie’s Garage Sale.”

Charlie is a lifelong brand loyalist who’s been collecting PBR memorabilia for decades, and it’s gotten out of control. His wife gives him an ultimatum: sell off the collection, or she’s gone for good. In an effort to save his marriage, Charlie is having a garage sale, and everything must go.

We built point-of-sale materials that drove traffic to a custom microsite featuring web series videos, campaign details, and a curated shop of Charlie’s “collection.” The concept resonated so strongly with consumers, retailers, and the brand that we expanded the campaign into follow-up activations, including “Charlie’s Bocce Classic” and “Charlie and Gladys Do America.”