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Philadelphia, PA, October 14, 2020 — Brownstein made advertising history last week when its character design for Yards Brewing Company’s unfiltered hazy IPA, “Philthy,” was inducted into Advertising Week’s Madison Avenue Walk of Fame. Past inductees include The Energizer Bunny (2017), Chester Cheetah (2015), Coca-Cola’s Polar Bears (2011), The Michelin Man (2010), and Colonel Sanders (2010).
“We’re very happy to be in such great company!” said Adrian Castillo, Creative Director at Brownstein, during the announcement ceremony. Castillo thanked and credited Brownstein’s creative team for the standout execution of the design and for bringing the iconic illustration of Philthy to life.
The announcement, made as part of Advertising Week 2020 — the premier worldwide gathering of marketing, advertising, technology, and brand professionals — demonstrates the bold ideas and creative chops of the agency, as well as its capacity to deliver exceptional work for clients, even during challenging times.
As the youngest of all 24 contenders, Philthy stood out among other brand mascots thanks to his distinctive character and the story behind his creation: one of finding marketing success despite the significant setbacks facing breweries in 2020.
“Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Philthy has the unique distinction of being one of the few brand mascots to launch during the novel coronavirus,” writes Heather Taylor, Senior Editor at Advertising Week’s PopIcon. “So far, Philthy has wreaked havoc across the Yards Brewing social media platforms — and won over IPA enthusiasts with his signature belch.”
Since its first conference in 2004, Advertising Week has celebrated the tradition of brand ambassadors and mascots by inducting two “advertising icons.” From television to cereal boxes, brand icons are the unique identities representing the brands and products behind them, and each year, Advertising Week has awarded the best of the best with one of these highly-coveted spots. Philthy shared the 2020 honors with StarKist’s Charlie the Tuna, which just celebrated its 50th birthday as brand mascot.
Philthy came to life earlier this year when Yards Brewing Company presented Brownstein with a unique opportunity to create a new brand identity and brand character to embody their latest citrusy, hoppy, and unfiltered hazy IPA. Based on vintage storybook illustrations uncovered by the team, the hop monster is almost entirely defined by its out-of-proportion mouth — representing the outspoken and frank attitude of Philadelphians.
Brownstein followed up the success of Philthy with designs for Yards’ Oktoberfest lager, Unter Dog, and Featherweight, Yards’ first low-calorie marketed beer, a Hazy Pale Ale.