The clash of the powerful - Doppel Munich | Clapboard Ad Archive

Doppel Munich’s 2021 campaign The clash of the powerful, created by McCann for the Ivorian market, asserts the brand’s signature strength and character-driven platform in a bold film execution tailored for the alcoholic drinks category. Set apart by the premise Saurez-vous la dompter — a direct call to consumers to match or master the beer’s formidable presence — the campaign moves decisively away from conventional beer advertising that relies on conviviality, celebrity, or lived experience. Instead, this work delivers what Clapboard’s taxonomy classifies as FORMAT#9—Symbolize the Benefit, channeling Doppel Munich’s robust, dark amber profile through dramatized visual metaphors and impactful imagery rather than explicit product demonstrations or narrative arcs. McCann’s regional sensibility steers the creative, sharply positioning Doppel Munich as the archetype of resilience and boldness in a market where local heritage, aspiration, and distinctiveness remain central to consumer choice. In a landscape defined by heavyweight players— from Castel Beer’s tradition-forward premium approach and Guinness’s storied craftsmanship to the youthful exuberance of Flag Beer and Heineken’s cosmopolitan polish — this campaign’s exaggerated performance-based symbolism cuts its own path, inviting the audience not merely to taste but to confront and ultimately embrace the beer’s strength as a reflection of their own character. By rooting the work entirely in the French language and leveraging codes resonant with local consumers, Doppel Munich ensures both authenticity and immediacy, via a film that stands out in the competitive Côte d’Ivoire beverage sector for its intensity and creative confidence. The campaign earns 63/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. For the category, The clash of the powerful signals the growing value placed on distinct emotional propositions and symbolic storytelling in West African beer communications, where brands must now win hearts by dramatizing their promise in ways that feel as powerful as their product tastes.