Nathan Nelms (left), brand manager of Guinness, hands over the championship belt and a symbolic cheque to High Grade International’s Mix-up Shacka (right) and Shaun Boasy after the dub-for-dub round at the Guinness Sounds of Greatness final last year.
The locally designed and executed Dancehall Cyaan Stall campaign by stout giant Guinness recently received regional recognition from the Caribbean Advertising Federation (CAF) for its creative limited edition label design and accompanying www.dancehallcyaanstall.com website.
“Guinness is a global brand but because of dancehall’s impact locally and internationally, the go-ahead was given to launch the campaign with the new label and a host of other activities that celebrated the dancehall culture. Our brand wanted to capture the culture in the best way and the teams involved played a huge role in executing the brand’s ideas to bring this campaign to life; and that was reflected in these coveted awards,” said Nathan Nelms, brand manager with responsibility for stouts and rum at Red Stripe.
Dunlop Corbin Corporation won a 2020 silver ADDY award under the Visual Illustrations category for their work on the label design, while ESIROM Limited copped a silver ADDY award under the Consumer Website category for the creation of the website.
The Dancehall Cyaan Stall campaign is a reflection of Guinness’ continued and documented support of dancehall culture. Outside of the popular Guinness Sounds of Greatness, Guinness has sponsored many dancehall events over the years, such as Stone Love’s annual anniversary, Sting and Dancehall Saturdays. Deservedly, the brand has earned credibility in the space, and when asked why the brand supports dancehall, Nelms asserted that the music and the stout are an inseparable duo.
“The dancehall industry consistently and strongly supports our brand, while advancing the evolution of our rich culture. This was the brand’s way of making a compelling statement of our appreciation for dancehall. The campaign website showcases this, and our creative team aimed to make the limited edition label one that gives everyone an opportunity to rep for dancehall. It’s a true representation of what dancehall is and how it is to be portrayed – bold and rich in flavour. We are about enjoyment of two inextricably linked products – dancehall and Guinness. When you are at a dance, you are bound to see a Guinness bucket being shared among friends,” said Nelms.
According to Nelms, the limited edition label that has been in the market since November 2019 reflects dancehall in a most authentic style; the vibrant colours, the energy of the people as they revel in the music and the iconic sound boxes all driven by animated selectors.
As part of the campaign, Nelms and his team also recognised members of the dancehall fraternity with gifts of the new-look Guinness, packaged and delivered creatively. Recipients, many of them behind-the-scenes stalwarts, were selected based on the contributions they have made to the music, as well as dancehall culture.
Founded in 1997, CAF is the first non-American ad federation member of the American Advertising Federation. The ADDY Awards is the world’s largest advertising competition with over 50,000 entries annually. Founded in Florida in 1960, it was adopted by the American Advertising Federation in 1968.
