2004 BEST USE OF ONLINE WINNER

WINNING ENTRY - Launch of dance strategy

COMPANY - mOne

CLIENT - Diageo

OBJECTIVE

Smirnoff Ice (SI) was launched to exploit a key change in young male behaviour - the consumption of alcopops. The alcohol content in SI is 7% whereas other RTDs are 5%. Alcohol content alone was never going to sustain long-term brand loyalty. The campaign had to help SI deliver its 400,000 case target.

CAMPAIGN

mOne exploited its target market's interest in dance music by forming an alliance with inthemix.com.au (ITM). Using a dedicated online dance environment allowed the agency to focus its message on its target and turn them into SI ambassadors. The relationship worked on two levels: it allowed ITM to expand its site through long-term backing of a major brand and SI was able to create its own "media properties". The campaign involved SI delivering information through its hosting of 21 live web chats and its partnership in the "what's on" guide. It also hosted 30 "SI goes ITM" dance parties and sent just under six million relevant emails. The campaign also involved strategic creative executions, such as running activity next to techno content on the SI homepage when a techno DJ was playing at one of the parties.

RESULTS

In February, mOne conducted a consumer survey among 600 men in the target group asking them which brands they associated with dance music. The results showed no clear leader. Six months after the campaign launch, the same survey found 23% associated Smirnoff Ice with dance music. After 12 months that figure rose to 61%. Smirnoff Ice is now the number one selling white spirit RTD in Australia, delivering 455,000 cases, 55,000 more than the 2003 target.

JUDGE'S COMMENTS

"A clever strategic idea that extended itself beyond online to clearly identify an ideal drinking occasion to generate sales amongst the fickle males aged 18 to 24 target. "The pre, during and post research clearly demonstrated it was an effective use of a unique online environment."