THE ELUSIVE COASTER

TitleTHE ELUSIVE COASTER
BrandSAB MILLER INDIA
Product / ServiceDON'T DRINK & DRIVE BY FOSTER'S
CategoryB05. Public Service, Charity & Fund Raising
EntrantOGILVY & MATHER Bangalore, INDIA
Entrant Company:OGILVY & MATHER Bangalore, INDIA
Advertising Agency:OGILVY & MATHER Bangalore, INDIA

Credits

Credits

Name Company Position
Piyush Pandey Ogilvy & Mather National Creative Director
Malvika Mehra Ogilvy & Mather Creative Director
Amit Akali Ogilvy & Mather Creative Director
Deepak Joshi Ogilvy & Mather Creative Director
Manoj Jacob Ogilvy & Mather Copywriter
C Ravikumar Ogilvy & Mather Art Director
Soju Varghese Ogilvy & Mather Account Supervisor
B S Srikanth Ogilvy & Mather Production
V Sundar Ogilvy & Mather Production

Results and Effectiveness

The activity was conducted at over 40 pubs and night clubs and generated the desired word-of-mouth and buzz. Effectively communicating the proposition at a place and time where the TG least expected it, but were most prone to receiving it. Both consumers and establishments felt that this was by far the most fun and engaging communication to address the hazards of drinking and driving. As a result, many pubs and nightclubs have taken it upon themselves to provide cab services to their patrons.

Creative Execution

We designed special coasters and mugs and distributed them across several Key accounts (Pubs, watering holes) for the activity. The coasters had pictures of cars and speed statistics on them while the mugs carried the simple message 'Drinking & Driving don't mix'. At first glance they seemed like normal coasters until the mugs were placed on them. When customers tried to place the mugs on the coasters, a strange thing happened; they were just unable to do so. The opposite polarities of the magnets concealed in both the coasters and the mugs were repelling each other. Once the TG recovered from their initial surprise, they saw the message on the mug 'Drinking & Driving don't mix'. The message, unlike most regular ads, was delivered at the point of consumption and more importantly just before the action which we were trying to influence: driving.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

Beer communication and consumption is viewed unfavorably by the Government and large sections of the general public in India. e.g. in Gujarat, the state where Mahatma Gandhi was born, alcohol consumption is illegal even today. To add to this, India was witnessing a resurgence of 'the moral brigade' (those opposed to drinking due to moral reasons). A significant rise in the number of road accidents caused by drunken driving and the attendant media coverage (one accident involved a Bollywood celebrity) had brought the activities of Liquor companies under severe criticism. It was against this backdrop that Foster's, a popular brand that epitomized 'cool' for the youth, decided to lead the initiative of responsible drinking. The objective: establish that drinking and driving don't mix and persuade people not to drive after drinking. Our challenge: avoid being preachy, make people smile at the end of the message.