Branded Content is still a relatively untapped and under-utilised concept in Australia. Although successfully used by some, many Australian brands are yet to fully embrace the benefits of branded entertainment, and in their minds, there are many unanswered questions. Even though there are few restrictions in relation to branded content, the main obstacle comes from the reluctance to move away from traditional media solutions and lack of understanding. They are yet to work out exactly how their brand fits into direct-to-web distribution and user-generated content.

For one day anyone could bring anything they liked to their local 7-Eleven and fill it with Slurpee. ‘Bring Your Own Cup’ Day, was the first time people weren’t restricted to small, medium or large cups. In fact, they weren’t restricted to a cup at all. We seeded the idea prior to the event on Facebook by asking 150,000 of our closest friends one question, “If you could fill up any cup with Slurpee what would it be?” And it wasn’t long before they started seeing potential cups everywhere. The best suggestions formed the instore, outdoor and print advertising, further inspiring people’s creativity in the lead up to the day. On September 21, 2011 mainstream and online media covered the event, which saw people all over the country drinking out of buckets, watering cans, dog bowls and prosthetic legs, all for the price of a regular Slurpee.

In a single day almost 100,000 ‘cups’ were filled. That is nearly 500,000litres of Slurpee. Over 350 stores were ‘slurped’ dry. The highest Slurpee sales in history were recorded, making it the most successful promotion to date. Achieving a 270% increase in unit sales for the same day the previous year. Sales have consistently increased month upon month (compared with the same month the previous year) following the promotion, cementing Slurpee’s position as Australia’s favourite frozen drink. Not to mention, more user-generated content was created in a single day, than in the brand’s history. Due to overwhelming demand, BYO Cup Day will become an annual event, worldwide.