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Stay On Top of Your Game

Issue 13 | December 2009

Agency

Proximity London

Creative Team

Executive Creative Director: Caitlin Ryan, Art Director: Jason Fletcher, Copywriter: Chris Monk

Production Team

Digital Producer: Josh Akmens, Interactive Designer: Michael Widgery, Technical Lead: Daniel Christos

Other Credits

Planner: Sharon Curr, Account Director: Rob Crilley

Date

October 2009

Background

When students first go to college, they enjoy their new-found freedoms – especially in the bar. Diageo wanted to let them know their favourite drinks contained sometimes surprisingly high amounts of alcohol.

Preach at them and they would reject the message out of hand.

Idea

Rather than tell students the facts the plan was to let them discover the facts for themselves by using the very media students socialise around, share drinks over and interact with. Pool tables and pool balls.

A bespoke set of pool balls was created but in line with the principle of tacit learning, each of the 15 balls featured the number of units in 15 popular drinks. Nearby in the union bars were placed posters and postcards.

Results

Previous campaigns had shifted awareness but this approach saw growing levels of knowledge. Appreciation that a pint of Guinness was worth 2.3 units increased by 175%. The knowledge that a pint of Carling lager is equivalent to 2.3 units went up 750% and the knowledge that a pint of Stella Artois is 2.9 units of alcohol was up 900%.

Tracking studies showed that 24% of students who played pool had talked to their friends about the campaign, spreading the message.

Our Thoughts

Not easy being in the booze business. Rather than have Government regulate them, companies have to be seen to be asking their customers to drink in moderation. It can be easy to send out contradictory messages, ‘Drink my product’, ‘No, sorry, don’t drink my product’.

So allowing young adults to absorb the message at the time and in the place where they will be drinking themselves silly is intelligent. It won’t prevent many hangovers but at least it’s helping undergrads with their maths. “Whoa, I had 18.4 units last night, dude.”

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