Case study | ksebe
Children remember more from APA than you think.
At first glance, a craft beer. In reality, a strong message hidden in a bottle. For ksebe, we created an alcohol-free APA campaign that reminds us that children take away more from our behavior than we think. And that even an ordinary beer can be the start of an important conversation.
02 — Insight
Beer in the hands of a father. A common image that children remember.
In Slovakia, beer in the hands of a father is a common part of family life. According to Eurostat, in 2019, 30.6% of Slovak men consumed alcohol at least once a week. In 2024, male alcoholism was recorded as the cause of the breakdown of 435 marriages.
Children naturally observe the behavior of their parents, and daily alcohol consumption can start to be seen as normal before they understand its consequences.
However, alcohol does not have to lead to the breakdown of a family to affect its functioning.
03 — Idea
We didn't want to create another anti-alcohol campaign. So we created APA.
We were looking for a way to highlight the normalization of alcohol in families without moralizing and unnecessary scaremongering. Therefore, we decided to use something that is naturally associated with drinking alcohol. Beer itself.
We found inspiration in the world of craft beers and the beer style APA (American Pale Ale). Its name offered us a wordplay with the Slovak term for father "apa". Thus, the campaign product APA without alcohol was created. A craft beverage that contains pure water instead of alcohol.
And since we wanted to show how children perceive the world of their fathers, we based the visual appearance of the labels on authentic children's drawings. The whole idea was finally connected by the headline "Children remember more than you think."
04 — Creative Concept
Children remember more from APA,
than you think.
The strength of the concept lies in the simple contrast between expectation and reality.
APA looks like a premium craft beer. It has dark glass, a metal cap, and an original label. However, inside you won't find a drop of alcohol. Just pure water.
Instead of another campaign highlighting the harmfulness of alcohol, we created a product promoting responsible fatherhood.
Because even present fatherhood is, in its own way, an art.
05 - Art direction
Every drawing has its story. So does every fragment.
We didn't entrust the labels to designers. They were drawn by children.
Celebrations, nature trips, fishing, or hiking. Common experiences that children associate with their fathers. We created an original six-pack with six unique children's labels. Each bottle also received its own paper seal with the same drawing.
06 — Activation
We invited people for a beer. They got water. And a reason to think.
APA without alcohol did not remain just on paper. We produced real bottles with labels from authentic children's drawings and presentation boxes with original filling.
We launched the campaign on September 5, on the National Day of Abstainers, with a public tasting at the Bratislava venue Ost Block. We chose the location deliberately, as craft beer has its natural place here.
We invited passersby to taste the new craft beverage APA. The surprise came already when pouring. Instead of the expected beer, a clear liquid appeared in the glass. After tasting, people realized it was plain water.
Also present was the co-founder of ksebe, Magdaléna Mihálová, who openly and humanly discussed with participants about alcohol, its impact on family relationships, and the example parents set for their children. The topic was also introduced by informational leaflets available directly at the tasting site.
07 - Results and Impact
From a tasting, it became a conversation that continues further.
APA without alcohol was created with a simple goal. To open a topic that is often not discussed in families and to bring it to people without moralizing.
We captured authentic reactions on video, and the campaign moved from the tasting to social networks, where its message gained more space for dissemination.
Campaign on Social Networks
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Let's create a campaign together that won't be forgotten.
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Michaela Recht
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Samuel Štassel
