The Challenge
Medalla Light, Puerto Rico’s leading beer, faced a unique business challenge: expanding its presence among the six million Puerto Ricans living on the mainland U.S. This community, nearly twice the size of the island’s population, navigates a constant cultural tension between adapting to American life and preserving the distinct identity, humor, and pride that define their Puerto Rican heritage. While many brands broadly target the Hispanic market, Medalla recognized that a generic multicultural approach would fall short. The challenge was to authentically resonate with Puerto Ricans in the U.S. without diluting the brand’s deeply rooted identity. The objective was clear yet complex: position Medalla as an authentic cultural connector and a symbol of Puerto Rican pride and belonging, despite the diaspora’s pressure to assimilate into mainstream American culture.
The Solution
Medalla Light tapped into a powerful cultural insight: Puerto Ricans living in the U.S. preserve their identity through playful linguistic nuances, humorously and intentionally mistranslating common Spanish expressions into awkward English as a form of cultural pride and defiance. Leveraging this insight, the campaign "Found in Translation" turned everyday Puerto Rican sayings into intentionally incorrect English translations, creating a culturally resonant, insider platform. Executed across digital, outdoor, and print media in diaspora-rich cities like New York, Miami, Orlando, and Chicago, the campaign encouraged participation by inviting Puerto Ricans nationwide to submit their favorite sayings. The best mistranslations were featured on billboards, social media, and even compiled into a collectible coffee table book. This playful yet powerful approach drove extraordinary engagement, significantly boosted brand preference, and positioned Medalla Light as a beloved cultural touchstone within the Puerto Rican diaspora.
