Tokyo’s original Irish musician Kozo Toyota and a Dublin barman, Hugh Hourican of the Boar’s Head, are at the centre of a new brand campaign for Diageo’s Smithwick’s ale entitled ‘Originals Find Originals’. A pint of Smithwick’s red beer has been synonymous with Kilkenny since 1710 but now its 315-year-old tradition is extending to Japan with Kozo Toyota’s story. The brand wants to connect with communities seeking out and re-inventing Irish traditions.
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First stop on the new brand journey is the Irish trad music community – specifically the people that are finding trad music and putting their own spin on it. The new campaign kicked off at TradFest. Toyota first came to Ireland in 2007 and connected with the Irish music scene. He found that trad music and culture was alive and thriving in Irish pubs. He embraced Irish music and came back to Ireland nearly every year since, for festivals and fleadhs.
Anne Zahan, head of beer at Diageo, said: “What we have now is a long-term brand platform for Smithwick’s, and this work is just the first step on that journey. Through our research and many visits to Kilkenny, we uncovered seams of love for Smithwick’s, especially in the Irish trad music scene.” Creative consultant Miriam Hendrick said that as Irish people continue to re-connect with old Irish traditions, the task was to help re-connect with the beer brand.
