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Madrí Excepcional beer takes social media by storm

Despite being launched by Molson Coors in October 2020, Madrí Excepcional has suddenly become the most talked about beer in the UK. 

Credit: Instagram user madriexcepcional

The lager recipe is a collaboration between Molson Coors and La Sagra Brewery, south of the Spanish capital, and claims to capture “the soul of Madrid”. The beer itself is actually brewed at Molson Coors’ brewery more than 900 miles away in Tadcaster, Yorkshire.

But the questionable Iberian credentials of the beer have not overshadowed the brand’s viral organic marketing success, nor has the absence of an official brand Twitter page.

As more and more people share their praise of the lager’s quality on social media, an increasing number are trying it to determine whether it lives up to the hype.

Google Trends data offers a clear indication of how, in the previous three months, internet searches for Madrí lager have been on an upwards trajectory, with 27 April the peak day for Madrí searches, when around 10,000 tweets were posted from the UK mentioning the beer.

This spike may largely be down to a post from British media outlet LADbible to its 3.2 million Twitter followers, which called the lager “sensational stuff”.

Much of the increased attention can also be attributed to the greater exposure the product has received since being rolled out into UK supermarkets in March of this year. In the on-trade, Madrí is appearing in an increasing number of venues (currently over 6,000), and Molson Coors has capitalised on the imminent arrival of summer by hosting events which showcase the product as a drink to be enjoyed in the sun.

Parallels are already being drawn between Madrí and the Heineken-owned Birra Moretti in terms of quality, affordability and availability. Both offer a 4.6% ABV European-style lager in a similar price bracket (GBP£2.88 per litre at Sainsbury’s), with simple, eye-catching branding. Both also use marketing to evoke a feeling among British consumers of being abroad on holiday.

Molson Coors has spared no expense when it comes to promoting the new beer – but social media fanfare has generated unprecedented publicity which only continues to snowball.

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