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Case Studies

Vancouver Island Brewing

Challenge

When I joined as General Manager, Vancouver Island Brewing was facing declining sales, internal struggles, and low morale. A recent rebrand had failed to connect with customers, turnover was over 50% following a change in ownership, and the team was exhausted and lacking confidence to move forward.

Approach

I focused on rebuilding trust and clarity within the leadership team, starting with a strong mission, vision, and values everyone could rally around. We opened every meeting with a reminder of who we are and where we were headed. I also launched an internal initiative called “100 Days of Winning,” where the leadership team shared daily wins—big or small—to celebrate progress across the company. To further drive cultural change, I created a ‘Champion Culture’ team of middle managers and key influencers to surface real issues and take collective action.

Results

The cultural reset had a powerful impact. Team morale and engagement improved significantly. Staff began to take ownership of the new purpose—requesting to display company values on the walls and designing BrewCrew T-shirts to celebrate their identity. This renewed confidence and alignment helped drive 20 consecutive months of double-digit growth.

Bud Light Lime Launch

Challenge

In a market dominated by Corona as the go-to summer beer, Labatt sought to introduce Bud Light Lime as a fresh, fun alternative that would resonate with social, vibrant consumers. The goal was clear – to create a brand that didn’t just compete with Corona’s relaxed ‘vacation in a bottle’ vibe, but rather one that embodied a lively, energetic party atmosphere on the beach or patio.

Approach

I led the launch with a bold strategy, using Bud Light Lime’s vibrant energy and stunning green branding across every channel to create an unmistakable presence. From wrapping buses, trains, and buildings to securing extensive outdoor media, the green colour became a defining visual that couldn’t be missed. In contrast to the U.S. campaign’s more muted colours, this Canadian launch made a statement with green as the central theme. On social media, our team created an engaging community, encouraging users to compete for the chance to host the “official Bud Light Lime launch party.” This interactive campaign generated excitement and positioned Bud Light Lime as the go-to beer for vibrant, social occasions – mirroring our creative proposition.

Results

  • Sales Impact: Bud Light Lime exceeded its sales forecast by 5.5 times, matching Corona’s market share in July 2009 and securing its place as the biggest beer launch in Canada in over two decades.
  • Digital Dominance: The campaign achieved the #1 Facebook beer page and #1 YouTube sponsored channel, creating strong brand engagement across platforms.
  • Media Buzz: By doubling down on media spend even after the product was selling out, Bud Light Lime generated unprecedented hype, culminating in national TV coverage.
  • Reflection: “The success came from being super bold with the green colour and dominating every space we entered. Flipping the conventional media strategy by maintaining our brand presence even as the product sold out, we created a demand frenzy that set Bud Light Lime apart in the market.”

What our clients say

Dave joined us at a pivotal time as FOE Creative was growing quickly and launching new app initiatives. He brought clarity, structure, and accountability, helping me refine my leadership approach and manage our team with greater confidence.

Taylor Leigh, Founder
FOE Creative Inc.

Working with Dave was transformative for my leadership journey. His thoughtful questions and direct insights helped me reflect more deeply, navigate management challenges, and grow with greater confidence as a leader.

Tierra Madani, Sr. People & Culture Advisor

Dave guided our team through creating our Mission, Vision, and Values, turning a task I had long avoided into an engaging and meaningful process. His ability to uncover our “why” and distill our ideas into a clear, aligned direction was invaluable.

Carla Willock, Founder
Victoria Speech & Language Centre

Working with Dave at +Inertia Coaching & Consulting was invaluable as we developed our policy for ethical and responsible AI use. He helped our team think critically about how AI fits into our broader processes, and I’d highly recommend him to organizations modernizing their AI practices.

Chris Elder, Managing Director
The Web Advisors