Why the new DrinkWise campaign is a fail
A new campaign by DrinkWise aimed at encouraging people to drink responsibly actually does the opposite, argues Joel Egan.
Clemenger BBDO Melbourne’s new campaign, ‘Drinking – do it properly’, is stylish, cool and well executed which ticks all the boxes for them. But I can’t help thinking that DrinkWise could be left picking up the pieces.
I enjoyed the video up until exactly 27 seconds when it shifted into a very grey area by talking about a phase when drinking called ‘The realm of drinking excellence’ this is where you feel ‘very, very attractive for a time’ however it can quickly spiral when a drinker then becomes very unattractive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBnoXi4-8WY
So exactly how many drinks does it take to reach this attractive state? The video provides no answers so I guess I should round up the fellas go to a bar and start experimenting to find ‘The realm of drinking excellence’; should be a fun night!
What the video does highlight is that video has a direct and powerful way of influencing behaviour and communicating messages. Which is why we will continue to see more organisations like DrinkWise and other community organisations (think Metro Trains’ Dumb Ways to Die) use video to gain the attention of consumers.
DrinkWise CEO John Scott told Mumbrella the campaign challenges young adults to stop and self- reflect about how they are drinking saying: “Importantly, it acknowledges that most young adults will drink, but that it’s time to think about drinking properly to stay classy, be in control and use alcohol responsibly.
Egan
Let’s not kid ourselves, this video will do nothing to change behaviour, and if that is the purpose of the campaign then it’s a massive fail.
However, it is cool and if DrinkWise want to tick the ‘cool’ box then job well done. If they want awareness, job well done.
I just can’t help but think the egos of both the agency and client might be stroked but change will be ineffective.
Joel Egan is digital director at Edge
topics
Alcohol advertising
awareness campaign
ClemengerBBDO
Drinkwise
Dumb ways to die
Edge
online content
I’m going to make a baseless assertion about a long-term behavioural change campaign’s likely efficacy and in doing so, I’ll get my name and mug shot in Mumbrella.
Clap clap.
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what a horrible article. someone who clearly just disagrees with the Clemenger name. as someone bang in the demographic I’ve seen the results of this campaign first hand – it is striking a chord. people are listening. this is a fresh way of talking to my demographic as it acknowledges the fact we will drink and we will enjoy ourselves, but tries to make us aware of the negatives associated with drinking to excess. i’m sick of the ‘drink responsibly’ message, it doesn’t work. this campaign at least creates conversation.
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I’ve seen the videos, read the various articles (as well as this one), and I agree with Joel Egan – it’s all beautifully executed but I don’t see how you’d expect to see any meaningful change come of this campaign. If anything, I’d expect to see more alcohol sales, especially for whiskey and other hard liquor, which seems to be touted.
The videos glorify drinking and don’t give drinkers any indicators of how to know they’ve reached their “classy” limit. People may be talking about the campaign, but I’d bet you (a pint!) that they’re swapping stories of the times they and people they know didn’t stay classy.
As DrinkWise is funded by the alcohol industry, it’s not really surprising that they didn’t want to really look at the bad side of drinking.
Certainly, people drink. But these videos make the whole process, including the “mega fails”, look cool and funny. I’m not sure that’s the message you want people to take from this, if you really want them to drink less.
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It is all very self Indulgent. The target audience will see through this in 1 second flat. It’s like your Dad wearing a baseball jacket and a leather jacket trying to be cool. Check out my 15 second Ad smackdown
http://youtu.be/X3biNRTWZmM
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This is why I believe this campaign works for younger people.
1. It is not dictating “don’t’ do this, don’t do that”. That would get an instant switch off / blockout.
2. It shows the penalty of binge drinking is loss of social status. Status is something this generation is obsessed with more than others in the past. Don’t believe me? Just check out instagram / facebook of the average Gen Yer
Plenty of people slagging because it says there is a “Good” drinking. Young people are going to drink, lets encourage them to do “good drinking” instead of passed out on the floor drinking.
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As someone in the target demographic who has a peer group that drinks excessively, this hits the mark.
There is no ‘don’t do this, do this’, consequences etc. The advertisement encourages reflection on drinking habits, and starts a conversation within these peer groups. I agree that where ‘s*#$faced’ begins is not spelt out in the advertisement, but this is the point – it is encouraging the target audience to think and create their own opinions on what is enough.
Admittedly it still does make drinking look cool, but in moderation.
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I too have seen it and read the various articles and this was the first time I realised it’s from Drinkwise. I thought it was an alcohol brand. Think it’s the style of the ad that does that.
Agree with Joel, it misses the mark.
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I think I make a safe assumption when I say that the majority of mUmbrella readers, as well as the critic in this particular article, aged their way out of this campaign’s target age group about 10 years ago. The agency research clearly shows what does and doesn’t reasonate with young people today, and we all know the “don’t drink” message doesn’t work with 18-24 yo’s, so why do it again? Well done to DrinkWise for stepping way outside the box and trying something different. It beats banging on with the same, ineffective, unengaging message for a result that’s a complete waste of time and money. Believe it or not Joel, this ad was not made just for you.
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Those who assert this won’t work because it makes the drinking fails look ‘cool and funny’ are not crediting the target audience with any intelligence…you seem to think they won’t understand the tongue in cheek tone and will take it all literally. What’s the alternative? A just ‘the facts’ approach? Shock tactics? More preachy / parental ‘drink responsibly you young whippersnappers’ type messages? All have been tried before, haven’t they?
Take notice of @Joel Ego – a ‘fresh’ approach that has ‘struck a chord’ and ‘people are listening’. Only a sample of one, I know, but some early indication it might just ‘work’…
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Here’s my perspective on why this campaign seriously misses the mark.
Drinkwise is funded by the industry. Its role is to deliver responsible drinking initiatives – broadly in the hope that by providing some sort of counterbalance to all the alcohol brand campaigns, the overall industry can continue on it’s journey of advertising self regulation.
The issue is when the counterbalance has the overall perception of glorifying drinking – regardless of the few commentaters who feel this campaign is a fresh and effective approach, it’s always going to do more damage than good.
Public perception on this campaign is definitely not on the side of DrinkWise – and next time, it’s probably worth checking with a few more stakeholders rather than just the core target as to whether it’s worth running. DrinkWise is meant to be the tool for winning, not losing the PR war for the industry.
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Drinkwise is funded by the alcohol lobby. So they don’t want to promote abstinence or even not drinking to excess – just not drinking “irresponsibly”.
It does absolutely nothing to help teens feel confident in being cool without alcohol.
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DrinkWise is an organisation funded by the alcohol industry. Of course they want the ad to encourage drinking!
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@LJW – you summarised exactly why it will work:
“I thought it was an alcohol brand”
Everyone seems to assume alcohol brands have some kind of hypnotic, influential control over teenagers and young adults, yet a PSA ad that draws comparisons , reminding people to drink ‘excellently’ and not get sh#@faced, is a bad idea??
where’s the logic??
Gen Y has become desensitised to shock advertising for 1 primary reason;
Their egos. Gen Y is a generation of narcissistic flogs funded by the economic powerhouses that are baby boomers and fed with excessive compliments to boot. We’ve taught this generation that they can be anything they want to be and are a collection of unique individuals, superstars waiting to be discovered.
WHY would they think anything bad can happen to them, unless it already has?
MOST teenagers/young adults have been ‘sh#tfaced’ at some point in their lives, prior to which, they probably remember that point of ‘excellence’ that occurred a few or 10 drinks beforehand – another point in which the audience can relate to!
This ad will/is generating discussion and self-reflection.
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I think it is a great campaign, it’s empowering young people to be honest with themselves, not to embarrass themselves by acting like stupid drunk idiots and to become more aware of their progression to that state.
Boring old fashioned people (a lot of marketers) don’t get it – but I think this campaign definitely won’t do any harm, and if it resonates with more younger people to think about their behaviours and actions. Even if it’s 5% – it’s a positive step in the right direction.
I’d rather be a cool, composed and sophisticated drinker than a leg spreading, falling over, swearing, vomiting embarrassment to myself.
Let’s focus on ‘responsible drinking and staying in the realm of drinking excellence’ than messages that are trying to stop young people from drinking altogether. They will always drink!
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the strategy is same as the “speeding, no-one thinks big of you” campaign in its valiant attempt to position piss-heads as immature twats
it stands a much better chance of success than prohibition or scare messaging as seemingly championed by the naive wowsers in this comments stream
Here’s the plan is spot on – Joel Edgar has made a baseless assertion reflecting a conceited and simplistic proposition that young people will drink more if their desire to drink more is acknowledged in communications (presumably just because the advertiser is the alchohol lobby)
if this reflects the quality of thinking taking place at the Edge, i dont think i’ll be giving you guys a call anytime soon
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Have to agree with Joel here.
How on earth is a “realm of drinking excellence” meant to be measurable/used as a guide? You are kidding me right???
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Aside from the alarming pairing of the words “drinking” and “excellence” which someone should be hung out to dry for…
…it starts way too sloooow, there’s clearly no grasp of how to engage 18-24 year-olds with video. Almost all will leave within 5 seconds.
Better would be e.g. start with confusion with a young guy driving a tank through a brick wall for some reason.
Creatively, I see less James Bond-ness than I see a lot of MadMed Tryhardism. 🙂
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*MadMen
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