Sapporo, Japan’s oldest beer and top selling Asian beer in the U.S., has unveiled a new ad campaign today encouraging fans to “Shine Through.”  

The new brand messaging, which will be featured across paid social media, web, trade, connected TV and more, moves to position the brew as more than a “sushi beer,” according to the brewer.  

The brand worked with the marketing agency Red Door Interactive on the campaign, which is part of an aggressive expansion plan for the beer brand in the U.S. 

As part of that effort Sapporo acquired craft brewery Stone Brewing in 2022 and beginning later this year all Sapporo beer for the U.S. market will be brewed at Stone Brewing facilities in Escondido, California and Richmond, Virginia.  

“Sapporo fans already know that its great taste goes hand in hand with a great ‘sushi experience,’” said Reid Carr, CEO and executive creative director of Red Door.  

The campaign uses imagery of moments and people highlighted by Sapporo’s widely recognized neon star. The star, recognized in bars and restaurants, paired with black-and-white photography inspired by Sapporo’s signature silver and black can, is brought to a variety of new environments, “encouraging consumers to choose a reliably good beer that stands out,  in fact it makes you stand out,” says Carr. 

“Great things happen when cultures come together and the adventurous spirit and Japanese artistry behind the Sapporo brand is a testament to that,” said Erin Smith, senior vice president of marketing at Stone Brewing and Sapporo USA. "This campaign is an invitation for consumers to celebrate their uniqueness and elevate any experience with a beer that’s eye-catching, distinctive, and timeless." 

Other Red Door clients include Titleist, Bosch and Intuit.