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Stella Artois pours mobile-optimized music, gift guides into holiday campaign

Stella Artois is spotlighting its holiday campaign on mobile by enabling consumers to stream an original John Legend song on its optimized site and shop a curated gift guide done in collaboration with online retailer Gilt.

The alcohol marketer?s ?Give Beautifully? holiday campaign calls up mobile elements to the forefront, proving that smartphone consumption is greatly affecting brands? marketing tactics. Consumers will be able to listen to a YouTube-enabled recording of Mr. Legend?s original single, ?Under the Stars,? and also opt to conduct holiday shopping with a curated gift guide available on Gilt?s mobile site.

?John Legend wrote ?Under the Stars? as his gift to America, one of many gifts from the Stella Artois brand?s ?Give Beautifully? holiday campaign,? said Ricardo Marques, vice president at Stella Artois. ?This exclusive holiday track is unique in that it incorporates actual sounds from the stars in space.

?We think fans will be excited to stream it for free from StellaArtois.com whether from their computers or smartphones.?

Tapping into streaming
The significant amount of mobile users who choose to stream music on their personal devices has made a slew of brands sit up and take notice. Stella Artois is hoping to share a new musical piece with John Legend fans by making it available for streaming on its mobile site.

The song, ?Under the Stars,? marks the premier duet between a musical artist and real stars in the sky. Stars? brightness changes at frequencies that can be transformed into separate audible tones, which can range from pulsing beats to dreamy vibes, based on the unique star.

?Under the Stars? features music, lyrics and talent by John Legend. The duet was created to pay homage to the Stella Artois brand, as ?stella? is the Latin translation of ?star.?

The alcohol brand is hoping to inspire consumers by showcasing the inspiration and optimism represented by stars. Consumers in the United States will be able to stream the song for free on their mobile or desktop devices by visiting StellaArtois.com.

?Stella Artois is a lifestyle brand, selling an experience, not just ingredients that make up its beer,? said Jeff Hasen, founder of Gotta Mobilize and author of The Art of Mobile Persuasion. ?The John Legend tie-in extends the brand's lure.

?The attention that it gets is much more meaningful than the number of times that the song is streamed.?

The song will be officially gifted to America at a special ceremony held in New York City on December 9. Mobile users will have a chance to attend the exhibit and see Mr. Legend perform the piece live alongside an art installation by retweeting Stella Artois?s ?Under the Stars? post on Twitter by Dec. 2.

Two fans will be chosen to attend the event.

Inspiring gift ideas
Stella Artois is also inspiring consumers to shop on mobile this holiday season by offering a curated gift guide in collaboration with lifestyle marketer Gilt, available at Gilt.com/StellaArtois. Shoppers may peruse a selection of designer goods inspired by Stella, including cashmere scarves and leather backpacks.

The beer brand?s limited-edition Holiday Chalice is also available for purchase. Teaming up with Gilt is a smart strategy for Stella Artois, as it may help the marketer reach new consumers in its target audience who perhaps may not be familiar with its beverages.

?As Gilt?s first global beer brand partner, Stella Artois worked with the luxury ecommerce site to curate a beautiful gift guide and unique shopping experience for fans online at Gilt.com/StellaArtois,? Stella Artois?s Mr. Marques said. ?Through a curated Stella Artois gift guide, consumers can choose from an assortment of designer items to give to their loved ones, including the brand?s limited-edition Holiday Chalice.

?As an ecommerce site that is dedicated to providing members with insider access to top designer labels, services and experiences, it was the perfect partner to help the brand ?Give Beautifully? this holiday season.?

With more than 50 percent of Gilt?s revenue coming from mobile, the digital fashion retailer is more than just a leader in mcommerce ? it also knows a thing or two about using messaging to drive sales (see story).

?As for the gift guide, if wine can have pairings, why can't beer?? Gotta Mobilize's Mr. Hasen said. ?This road makes sense for a higher-end brand like Stella Artois.

?It would be a head scratch if a more economical and every-person's beer brand went in this direction."

Final Take
Alex Samuely, staff writer on Mobile Marketer, New York