The Brief

Despite having tough drink-driving laws, alcohol-related accidents increased by 8.2% last year. As part of their responsible drinking efforts, Carlsberg wanted a direct way to deter would-be drunk drivers -- without using ineffective traditional mediums that has been proven to be often ineffective. We found an insight: drivers have a false sense of security once they get into their cars, no matter how much they have had to drink.

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation

This insight is particularly important in decoding the mindset of the drunk driver, at the critical point of deciding to operate the vehicle that could well endanger himself and others. Potential drunk drivers found out one sobering truth: When you’re drunk, so is your car. We targeted potential drunk drivers in car parks near crowded nightlife areas. Using a High-Powered FM Transmitter, we briefly hijacked the signal of popular radio stations and broadcasted special messages directly into their cars.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

The guerilla campaign was a great success, with over 68% of the drivers deciding to take a taxi home, or sobering up before driving. Alcohol-related accidents fell for the first time in 9 months. Brand awareness scores for Carlsberg's CSR efforts rose markedly and the social media was abuzz with the campaign. The best result? Motorists now know they are too drunk to drive when their cars start talking to them.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

Drivers stopped in disbelief as they heard their cars literally talk to them, and to top it all off, talk to them in a similarly drunken stupor. An aggressive drunk of a car called the driver "a wimp" for "always following the rules and limits"; a car who was funny when drunk rambled about "how the party has just started"; a flirty lady of a car teased and taunted her driver to "go fast" so she could give him "the ride of his life". (Please watch the attached case video or push the button on the presentation board to hear the drunk cars.)