HO CHI MINH, VIETNAM — When most beer is as cheap as water, it’s hard to convince people to take a chance on a specialty brew with fresh ingredients and a price to match. So Belgo, a Belgian craft beer brewed in Vietnam, launched the beer-currency promotion, allowing beer lovers to exchange any mass-market beer for the higher-end Belgo and taste the difference.
Belgo is brewed in-house with fresh ingredients, with some shipped straight from Belgium, which is why the unique brews are priced higher than any regular beer on the market. Every beer honors the rich history and tradition of Belgian beers. So, how can you convince a country with access to some of the cheapest beer in the world to take a chance on a more expensive brew?
“With a product like Belgo accessibility is a challenge – no one wants to take a chance on a beer that’s 8x the price of what they already know they enjoy. Turning the accessibility of those mass-market brands to our advantage, we think there’s something fun in there,” said Happiness Saigon Creative and Production Director Nick Stillittano.
Beer lovers from all over the city grabbed whatever mass-market beer they could from local convenience stores and bars and flocked to the vending machine to finally try a quality Belgo without having to pay for it.
“This vending machine is the first of a larger platform for Belgo that aims to take it from a relatively unknown craft beer in Vietnam to a household name. Hopefully, we can prove that smaller brands can stand up to bigger budgets with a little faith in creative ideas,” shared Happiness Saigon Partner and Creative Director Jazz Tonna.
The promotion is also available at all Belgo pubs, where you can exchange a can of any beer at the counter for a freshly pulled craft Belgian beer.
