Heineken asks Kiwis not to drink Heineken in anti drink-driving campaign via Saatchi & Saatchi
A bold new Heineken ad campaign launching today via Saatchi & Saatchi, looks to reduce drink driving in New Zealand, and may raise a few eyebrows. At first glance, the locally produced ads appear to urge people not to drink Heineken. On closer inspection, small text clarifies that this applies specifically to people intending to drive.
The ads will be seen around the country at out of home sites (static and digital), in print, digital, radio, social and in office towers today in a one-day media takeover, and then throughout December 2020 and January 2021.
Says Jo Mitchell, marketing director at DB Breweries: “At Heineken, we believe that when driving, even one drink is one too many. With this campaign we’re doing one of the bravest things a brand can do, and telling people to not drink our product, if they’re driving.”
Heineken is strongly committed to leading the responsible consumption of alcohol across the globe and the ‘When You Drive, Never Drink’ programme is a key step in the mission to reduce drink driving behaviour worldwide. Every year, the brand invests at least 10% of its media spend on responsible consumption campaigns, and this year locally the brand is investing more like 20%.
Says Mitchell: “As the number one premium beer brand in New Zealand, we need to lead by example and use our brand power to instigate the change we want to see. Historically, December has been the worst time of the year for drink driving and we know we need to make a bold statement that gets attention. This isn’t just an advertising campaign for Heineken, this is a core business value that we have been passionate about for many years and will continue to invest in for years to come.”
In addition to the new local ad campaign, Heineken has commissioned a team of global experts in Nudge Theory and Behavioural Design from Denmark to help address drink driving in New Zealand. The study (led by Krukow Behavior Design), kicks off today and will run through 2021, using a behavioural design approach to try to influence the decision making process that Kiwis go through when presented with situations where they may drink and drive. The idea builds on a 2018 pilot project and the aim is to find ways to ‘nudge’ people to make the right decision, which is not to drink and drive.
Also, for the month of December, 200 Heineken bars across main metro areas (Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch) will provide free Heineken 0.0 to sober drivers alongside bold and inventive point of sale, to reinforce this message in venues.
Creative Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
Executive Creative Director: Steve Cochran
Creative Director: Cece Chu
Art Director: Mathew Aitken
Copywriter: Rebecca Sharp
Planner: David McIndoe
Group Account Director: Alina Godfrey
Senior Account Manager: Jack Close
(Client) Heineken
Marketing Director: Jo Mitchell
Senior Marketing Manager, Global Brands: Matt Allen
Heineken Marketing Manager: Taylor Green
Heineken Brand Manager: Gemma Parry
Brand PR & Content Manager: Natasha MacKenzie
4 Comments
An ad that says don’t with the commercial objective to make you do is questionable at best cynical in truth
“If you’re driving, don’t drink this beer.”
Wonder how long it took Saatchis to come up with that genius lateral thought.
And people wonder why big agencies are dying out…
reads like one of those South American print ads translated into English. What’s wrong with: “Never drink when you drive” ?
Subconscious mind will filter out the word “don’t”.
Don’t think about a black cat…. You have to think about a black cat to process the sentence. Don’t drink this – you’ve now got people thinking about drinking that beer.