Finland Made a Boozy Drink for Olympic Fans in 1952. To Celebrate, Runners Could Win $26k

Here’s a fun fact: In 1952, the good folks running the Olympics created Lonkero for fans (and possibly athletes). Translated into “Long Drink,” it’s a refreshing blend of gin, grapefruit juice and Fresca.

As the brilliant Richard Ayode put it to Paul Rudd on Travel Man, “Nothing says athletic excellence like the high consumption of alcohol and sugary drinks.”

All kidding aside, the Finnish Long Drink is a huge deal in Finland, and Americans with a taste for something unique flock to it. This canned beauty has some big hitters behind it, including Jay-Z’s Marcy Venture Partners.

This summer, the brand partners with Strava to encourage its community to run a marathon (not all in one swing) to win a share of $52,000, with a grand prize of $26,000.

Supporting the effort is a great spot from Indie Agency News member Good Conduct.

Why we like it

It’s a familiar device—a non-athletic-looking person is running. But is it for health? No, it’s for the money—good payoffs, easy to watch, strong casting and pacing.

What we’d like to see more of

Honestly, we think learning more into Finnish culture opens up some interesting and unique creative lanes. But, overall, the brand and agency are doing a solid job—and the investors involved could make this thing a rocket ship. Is next summer “The Long Drink Summer?”

Learn more

• Good Conduct
• Good Conduct on Instagram
• Good Conduct on LinkedIn
• The Finnish Long Drink