Australia’s fastest growing top 15 premium international lager by volume and value, Sapporo Premium Beer, has announced a new marketing campaign.

Japan’s oldest beer brand is brewed under licence and distributed in Australia by Coopers Brewery.

Rolling out in November, the new campaign tells the story of Nakagawa’s journey to create the legendary Japanese beer. In 1865, a young Nakagawa dreamt of leaving his homeland in search of adventure. However, with citizens strictly forbidden from leaving the country, he devised a plan to sneak aboard a merchant ship bound for England.

After seven years exploring Europe, he eventually made his way to Germany and landed a job at the Berlin Beer Brewing Company. He discovered a passion for brewing and became a certified brewmaster. Around the time Nakagawa returned to Japan, plans were already underway to build Japan’s first brewery. Given his recently acquired expertise, Nakagawa was hired as the brewery’s chief engineer and in 1876, in Japan’s far northern city of Sapporo, the beer bearing its city’s namesake was born.

Brand Manager, Chris Levey said: “Sapporo is admired across the globe for its deeply rooted heritage and its impact on Japanese beer culture.

“Australian drinkers have a strong thirst for Japanese beers and Sapporo continues to deliver high performing sales for trade retailers in bottle shops and pubs across the country.”

The new marketing campaign follows a recent packaging refresh, visually aligning all packaging with Sapporo’s iconic 650ml silver can to drive greater recognition across the Sapporo range.

“We’re gearing up for a busy summer and this campaign is sure to have Sapporo top of mind for consumers around the country,” said Levey.

Australia’s first billion dollar drinks brand