Stella Artois found an unexpected way to win visibility in a space where brands can’t pay for placement: Google Maps reviews. By turning top Local Guides into brand partners, the beer brand transformed everyday dining searches into an organic showcase for its product.
Transforming reviewers into brand allies
The campaign identified the users who leave the most consistent, high-ranking reviews on Google Maps. These Local Guides were invited to enjoy meals at more than 40 participating restaurants—with one simple request: share a review featuring their food alongside a Stella Artois bottle.
Instead of placing ads, Stella Artois inserted itself naturally into the content that diners already trust: authentic user photos and real experiences. This strategy allowed the brand to appear exactly where decisions about where to eat are being made.
The insight behind the idea
The concept emerged from a powerful behavioral truth: when people are deciding where to eat, they rely heavily on reviews, comments, and photos left by others. This makes Google Maps one of the most influential decision-making platforms—yet one that doesn’t allow paid advertising.
By leveraging users whose content appears first in search results, Stella Artois gained presence in a space traditionally closed to brands, turning reviews into a new, subtle form of OOH-style visibility.
Where UGC meets OOH thinking
The campaign, developed by Draftline, the in-house agency for Quilmes, mirrors the power of outdoor advertising in digital spaces: high visibility, strong placement, and emotional resonance. But instead of billboards, the “placements” were top-ranking reviews.
Photos shared by Local Guides showed Stella Artois naturally placed next to a wide range of dishes, subtly reinforcing the idea that the beer is a preferred companion when dining out.
“Local Guides”: a platform hack
With the title “Local Guides”, the initiative celebrates those who influence diners daily. It also cleverly bypasses the limitations of platforms that don’t accept ads, proving that with creativity, brands can still show up where audiences make decisions.
As the creative leads Emilio Yacon and Florencia Loda put it: “We intervened in a platform that doesn’t allow advertising and turned simple reviews into a new campaign format.”
Final thoughts
Stella Artois’ approach demonstrates how brands can use behavioral insights, user-generated content, and organic visibility to break into high-impact digital environments. It’s a campaign that feels authentic, smart, and deeply aligned with how people make food and drink choices today.
FAQs about this campaign
What is Stella Artois’ Local Guides campaign?
It’s an initiative where the brand invited top Google Local Guides to review restaurants using photos that naturally include Stella Artois, gaining visibility on a platform that doesn’t allow ads.
Why did the campaign gain attention?
Because it creatively uses UGC and Google Maps reviews as a new advertising medium, placing Stella Artois exactly where diners make decisions.
How does OOH thinking apply here?
Instead of physical billboards, the campaign uses high-visibility digital ‘placements’—top-ranking reviews seen by thousands searching for places to eat.
What insight inspired the idea?
People choose restaurants based on reviews and photos on Google Maps. Stella Artois inserted itself into that decision-making space through authentic user content.
What can brands learn from this campaign?
That creativity can unlock visibility even in platforms with no paid media options by leveraging behavior, UGC, and trusted digital touchpoints.
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