Sapporo reveals its rebel in first ever major campaign via Cummins&Partners, Melbourne

Cummins&Partners has launched Sapporo’s first ever major integrated campaign produced in Australia with its new ‘Refined by Rebellion’ positioning. The new work dives into the rich history of Sapporo, and does it through a medium that is as iconic and Japanese as the beer itself, manga.

Sapporo is the oldest brand of beer in Japan, founded in 1876 in the shadows of the rugged snow capped Sapporo mountains. The brand’s iconic yellow star, which is now synonymous with brewing perfection, has also come to represent the profound link between the fortunes of the place and the beer.

The campaign, ‘Refined By Rebellion’ tells the origins of Sapporo’s first chief engineer and brewmaster, Seibei Nakagawa, who snuck aboard a merchant ship from Japan to Germany in order to master the art of brewing. After years working at the Berlin Beer Brewing Company, Nakagawa became a certified brewmaster in his own right. After returning home, tales had spread of the local man who travelled worlds away to master the highly regarded art of brewing. Nakagawa was quickly offered the role of chief engineer, and the beer bearing its city’s namesake and star was born.

The narrative is told using one of Japan’s oldest and most authentic storytelling forms in manga. Manga is intertwined throughout centuries of Japanese culture, making it the perfect avenue to explore the narrative of Sapporo.

Says Chris Levey, brand manager, Sapporo: “We are so excited with the new creative work for Sapporo and cannot wait to get it into the market. The Refined by Rebellion campaign has provided a wonderfully distinctive vehicle for us to tell our story across and has been effortlessly brought to life across multiple channels.“

Says Heath Collins, creative director at Cummins&Partners: “It has been an absolute honour working with Sapporo. We love the beer and the incredible brand story. Combining Sapporo and manga, both steeped in Japanese history, was such a powerful combination in bringing the story to life. We are really excited about the launch of the campaign.”

The campaign will be supported by outdoor, trade activation, social and online video, and will launch on November 1st.

Client – Sapporo Australia
Director of Marketing & Innovation: Cam Pearce
National Marketing Director: Kate Dowd
Brand Manager: Chris Levey

Agency – Cummins & Partners
Creative Director: Heath Collins
Creative Team: Ben Horewood & Michelle Canning
Editor: Nick Weller
Producers: Steven Tortosa & Pip Heming
Client Service: Hayden Isaacs, Victoria Beranger & Jim Vizard
Strategy: Tom Ward & Bec Alexander

Manga Artist: Santa Fung