Employees lighten the litter load

Crown Imports staff led by Timm Amundson and Emily Reynolds, along with the Wheatley & Timmons team, gather to clean-up one of Chicago’s most popular beach sites, in advance of a Corona-sponsored beach volleyball event…

Last Friday afternoon in Chicago, Crown Imports employees (Crown is the importer and marketer of the Modelo brand portfolio in the US) grabbed trash bags and trash content survey forms, to work over one of Chicago’s most popular lakefront recreation areas, North Avenue Beach. The goal: search and remove every form of garbage to be found in and around the sand and surf. The survey forms to keep records of what type of trash was discovered (not really sure why this is important other than some form of city-sponsored study on the social and picnic habits of mid-western beach buffs).

With one of the world’s most spectacular skylines in view, agency team members on the Corona account pony up to the trash barrel in support of the brand’s beach clean-up initiative. From left to right, Carrie Becker, account supervisor; Mary Clare Middleton, vice president, consumer brands; and Kelly Gordon, managing director; behind the camera is Kerri Erb, senior vice president, media services.

Corona, best-positioned beer brand in the business, (yes, they are a client) is aligned closely with all things sun, surf and sand. As you probably know, Corona is therefore a veritable grab bag of feel good metaphors. All of it related to relaxation and laid-back lifestyle associations within the environs we all aspire to live on or next to. Think palm tree, blue waters, warmth and good time refreshment. Ahhh. Hold on, there’s some work to be done before happy hour…

The beach clean-up event was the preliminary run-up to a weekend of beach volleyball competition. The Corona Wide Open is a US Open beach volleyball-qualifying tournament. Corona is prime sponsor of this nationwide eight-city tour.

Within this event, Corona finds itself in a position to give back to the community by doing the job most would prefer not to do: cleaning up the discarded cans, bottles, picnic ware, wrappers and other detritus to be found on a beach swarming with summertime revelers. Following the trash clean-up effort, Corona treated everyone to a volleyball game with former Olympic Gold medalist Karch Kiraly. And, of course, a happy hour on the roof deck of Castaways bar, overlooking what truly had to be a defining image for any fan of Corona – the beach and surf on a gorgeous day along Lake Michigan. Thank, you, Corona, for including us!!

Bob Wheatley finds a treasure trove of garbage on the north end of the beach making him, according to Emily Reynolds, the trash king. “Finally a moment of fame,” says Wheatley.