Former NRL player Denan Kemp launched a beer brand called Bloke in a Bar in March, despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic – and he has already sold more than 750,000 cans.
“I’ve always been passionate about seeing the Bloke concept roll out into a consumer product,” said Kemp. “The response has confirmed that I wasn’t the only one looking for a beer designed for blokes who want to have a drink and talk footy.”
Bloke in a Bar is backed by entrepreneur Simon Minitzer, whose specialties include innovation and business development. Under his management, the brand has evolved into a social-media platform that celebrates the sporting background of its founder as much as the beer itself.
The brand has engaged with potential purchasers across various channels, and created a podcast that’s achieving 150,000 downloads per month.
“Bloke in a Bar has found the sweet spot between being a consumable product as well as an integrated sports communications network,” the company said in a statement.
“The immediate success and engagement from the Bloke audience and consumers is a testament to not only the quality of the product, but also the passion of the sporting audience that exists in Australia,” Minitzer said.
“Speaking to the Bloke audience via multi-channel communications is evidence of the future of product marketing and media as one offering.”
Kemp adds: “It’s the engagement of the audience not just with the product, but across the related Bloke in a Bar platforms that has taken us all by surprise. This is an audience that doesn’t just want beer, they want a whole experience.”