The Beer Store reminds Ontarians that the best value for beer is always near

New advertising under the “Whatever the Case May Be” platform created by King Ursa focuses on the retailer’s province-wide footprint and the value it offers.

At The Beer Store, the best value for beer is always near. So whether you're looking for an ale in Aylmer or a pilsner in Pickering, The Beer Store’s 420+ locations across Ontario ensure you're never far away from a great deal.

That’s the message of a new campaign under the “Whatever the Case May Be” brand platform that debuted last year. Once again created by Toronto agency King Ursa, this summer’s campaign focuses on how The Beer Store brings customers across the province more value and more convenience.

“The Beer Store has been proudly serving the people of Ontario for over 95 years, delivering the best value and selection of cold beer all the while being deeply committed to our local communities,” says Ozzie Ahmed, Vice President of Retail at The Beer Store. "With over 420 locations across the province, we have a store near you! Our incredible employees are eager to serve Ontarians with the best value we can. Who doesn't want to save money on beer, right?”

Launching just in time for the May 2-4 weekend and running throughout the summer, the new campaign features a series of comedic video ads celebrating many of the towns that make up the heart of The Beer Store’s customer base.

While last year’s campaign focused on the wide variety of people who shop at The Beer Store, this year’s campaign is built around what resonates most with The Beer Store’s customers. So, whether you’re looking for value, convenience, or variety, The Beer Store is the best source for beer.

Ads running on TV feature characters from communities across Ontario, such as Beaverton, Bobcaygeon, Hamilton, and Sault Ste. Marie, telling audiences about all the great value and convenience their local Beer Store has to offer. TV is being supported with digital ads running across Meta, programmatic, out-of-home and The Score.

“This campaign is about connecting The Beer Store to the communities they’ve been embedded in for generations and doing it with a smile,” says King Ursa’s Executive Creative Director Grant Cleland. “From Sarnia to Red Lake (535 km northwest of Thunder Bay), nobody comes close to covering the geography The Beer Store does, and we wanted to have fun with that. So, whether you’ve lived in one of these towns your whole life or have ventured to a beautiful corner of the province, you’re likely to find a Beer Store close by.”

Title: Whatever the Case May Be

Client: The Beer Store
Vice President Of Retail Operations: Ozzie Ahmed
Director of Marketing: Charanya Bala
Brand and Communications Manager: Emily Holmes
Marketing Specialist: Andrea Duhart

Agency of Record: King Ursa
Executive Creative Director: Grant Cleland
Brand Strategist: Danny Frangella
Associate Creative Director: Kevin Hoessler
Associate Creative Director: Steven Tiao
Senior Copywriter: Jayar Green
Junior Copywriter: Miya Thomas
Founder: Paulo Salomao
President: Cheryl Gosling
Account Director: Maddy Cassidy
Account Supervisor: Ellen Fitzhugh
Agency Producer: Katherina Villa

Production Company: Partners Film
President, Executive Producer: Gigi Realini
Directors: Ben/Dave
Director of Photography: Angel Navarro III
Line Producer: Erik Wilson
Wardrobe: Lea-Anne Baxter
Art Director: Dave Morris

Casting: Mann Casting

Edit House: School Editing
Executive Producer: Yumi Suyama
Producer: Tim Simpson
Editor: Jon Devries
Assistant Editor: Fiona Alvarez

Post House: Alter Ego Post
Senior Colourist: Wade Odlum
Colour Assistant: Daniel Saavedra
Executive Producer: Hilda Pereira
Producer: Andrew Tavares
VFX Artist: Alex Boothby
VFX Assistant: Ellie Law

Audio House: Vapor Music
Managing Partner: Lindsey Bates
Creative Director: Joey Serlin
Head Engineer: Julian Rudd

Media Agency: OMD
Group Account Director: Ryan Calhoun
Media Strategist: Emma Mueller

About The Beer Store
Owned by Ontario-based brewers, The Beer Store is the largest beer retailer in Ontario, with the lowest prices for beer in the province. The Beer Store listed 1,154 brands, provided by 262 brewers in 2022. Operating on a self-sustaining break-even cash flow basis, The Beer Store has a completely open system that allows any brewer worldwide to sell its brands in any store they choose and with over half of the brewers listed being small Ontario brewers. The Beer Store is deeply committed to responsible sale and not selling to minors and people who are intoxicated. More than 1.2 million customers were challenged in 2022 alone. It is also one of the greenest retailers in the world supporting the annual reuse and recycling of over 1.7 billion beverage alcohol containers including beer, wine and spirits. The Beer Store employs 6500 hard-working Ontarians with well-paying full- and part-time jobs and takes pride in supporting diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging initiatives as a part of its core values. In 2022, The Beer Store expanded its partnership with several equity-deserving organizations to raise awareness and over $240,000 helping make a difference in Ontario.

About King Ursa
King Ursa, the Evolution Agency,™ is an independent Toronto based creative agency that exists to help brands evolve by capitalizing on a constant state of optimization. With an agile and adaptable approach that puts strategy first, they take on each campaign from a truly integrated point of view. The agency is on a mission to solve real business problems with real, measurable results.