Big in Japan

SingleCut is a New York City craft brewery inspired by rock ‘n’ roll. In 2019, the brand aimed to debut a new beer in Japan, a nation big on rock music, gaming and QR codes. So, we developed the BIG IN JAPAN IPA - a Spotify-enabled beer that gamified a music phenomenon.

Designed to stand out in a crowded craft beer scene, BIG IN JAPAN IPA labels featured artful QR codes. Each code was made up of visual clues for western rock songs that were literally big in Japan, by artists such as Cheap Trick and Queen. This turned each unique design into a name-that-tune game and when a code was scanned, consumers were led to Spotify where the answer to the game was revealed. By tapping into a love for cultural crossovers, BIG IN JAPAN IPA sold out across Tokyo within weeks of its launch.