Agency: TPN
Client: Lonestar
Copy: Greg Overhauls (Sr.CW)
Art direction: Jesús González (Sr.AD)
Strategy: Brook Hollander (Associate Strategist)
Doodle Illustrations: Luke Schroeder
We were tasked with celebrating the launch of Lone Star’s first Mexican-style lager: Rio Jade. The challenge was to stay authentic to three distinct voices — the Lone Star brand, the rich history of Mexican-style lager, and the unique vision of Rio Jade’s designer, Mexican-American artist Cruz Ortiz.
Inspired by the colors of the Rio Grande and the rivers of Texas, Cruz Ortiz created the look and feel for the brand. We built on his vision for the retail environment, adding touches of vegetation in the corners of designs and maintaining a sun-washed desert palette across materials.
To drive shopper engagement, we expanded on Lone Star’s tradition of printing riddles beneath bottle caps. We crafted new riddles localized to key markets — Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, and statewide — all illustrated in Cruz Ortiz’s distinct artistic style.
Despite launching at the start of the pandemic, the campaign was a major success. Rio Jade transitioned from a seasonal release to a permanent part of Lone Star’s portfolio.