We Believe: The White Can

Read the campaign story

Steinlager's 2011 We Believe campaign brought back a white can associated with an earlier era of New Zealand rugby. Contemporary September coverage describes a television film about a supporter who had kept a can while waiting for another major championship victory. DDB New Zealand created the work. Later production commentary confirms the limited white-can release in the lead-up to the 2011 tournament, connecting packaging history with a shared sporting memory.

The film used the can as a physical marker of time. It represented a past celebration, the years of waiting and the possibility of another occasion worth remembering. The campaign did not need to explain that emotional sequence through a list of brand attributes. A familiar object carried the connection, while its return to shops allowed the story to exist beyond the television screen.

The creative mechanism was to activate a genuine brand asset rather than invent a new symbol for the event. Packaging can hold memories because people encounter it repeatedly in social settings. When a historical design returns with a clear reason, it can connect generations of customers and make an abstract claim of long-standing support more tangible. The strength depends on the asset actually being part of the brand's past, not a fabricated heritage story.

For a small business, a responsible adaptation could restore an old menu design, workshop label or event poster with verified context. The communication should explain what is being revived and why it matters now. Rights around sporting events and sponsorship remain important: an emotional association does not grant permission to imply official tournament status. Adult alcohol standards also apply, and the story should not encourage consuming old or improperly stored products.

The opened sources establish the 2011 execution, packaging connection and agency, not a causal contribution to sporting success or sales. The later team result should not be confused with proof that the campaign worked. Evaluation of an adaptation should ask whether audiences understand the historical link and find it relevant to the present offer. Nostalgia is useful when it adds truthful meaning, rather than merely substituting familiarity for a reason to choose the product today.

Use genuine heritage

Historical designs need a verifiable connection to the brand.

Give the object a narrative role

The asset should explain something more than its own age.

Respect event rights

Cultural association does not confer official sponsorship status.

A small test for another brief

Revive a verified historical design for a non-alcoholic local product.

Measure understanding of the historical link and current offer.

Stop if the story fabricates heritage or implies ungranted event endorsement.

• Confirm the design’s provenance and ownership.
• Explain its original use and present relevance.
• Test the story with adults familiar and unfamiliar with the history.