Amanda Sexton/New Zealand Wines & Spirits Prior to The Half Day Off, Smirnoff was a brand of low perceived product differentiation in a generic white spirits market. Its public image needed some servious work!

New Zealand Wines and Spirits set the following marketing objectives for the brand:Brand Differentiation – demonstrate that Smirnoff understands the NZ youth market better than the competition.Increase target preference for Smirnoff by reinforcing its brand attributes and rebuilding its popularity - the core target being volume drinkers and opinion leaders (18-29 year olds).Increase sales over the key summer period (Q4) by 15 %.NZ is a small market, so we could not afford to be too exclusive if we were to achieve any measurable sales increase.

The challenge was finding a way of giving Smirnoff’s public profile a major push without over-exposing the brand – thereby making it appear too mainstream and “un-cool” to the cynical and judgmental youth target.To meet Smirnoff’s campaign goals we needed to create a campaign that on one hand would have broad appeal and on the other, that would really connect with and involve our core target.

We had to achieve consumer participation. We needed a Big and Original media solution. We created a perfectly targeted and highly original Media Event – The Half Day Off.The Half Day Off provided the opportunity for Smirnoff to take ownership of a very social, rebellious and anti-work ethic to gain consumer popularity, acceptance and participation.To promote this, but without risking over-exposure and subsequent target alienation, we developed a “discovery” media strategy that as it revealed itself, invited people to join in, take the afternoon off work and come to Smirnoff’s “coming out” party.Humorous communication messages played on the “Off” concept (a component of Smirnoff’s name) and crept into the market over an eight week period, revealing aspects of the campaign in three complementary stages: Tease, Build-up , then Call-to-action.This innovative, targeted and fun! media program connected Smirnoff with consumers, infiltrated their world and lead them to the Half Day Off party! TeaseThe event was teased in magazines that reflected Smirnoff’s new cutting edge personality. Influential dance and street culture titles supported a "cool" image and underground feel. Messages were specific to the environment, eg "Band Practice Off" in youth music titles.Internet banners linked to the official website, where consumers could check out participating bars, generate excuses to take a Half Day Off, and win bar tabs for The Half Day Off. A countdown clock screensaver could be downloaded from the website. Outdoor advertising took the campaign to the streets and to our out-and-about bar hoppers!Street Posters provided an underground feel into the mix, whilst billboards reached mainstream bars/nightlife areas. Creative was refreshed fortnightly and reflected the environment…“Shirt and Tie Off…and….Dance Your Ass Off” Build-upTelevision ensured mass audience reach and built wider awareness and excitement, with spots bought against environment suitable to the event.Cinema exposure delivered a huge punch to captivated audiences.Call-to-actionMedia peaked with a loud call-to-action in the final week.Commercial radio leveraged consumer involvement, with ongoing promotions and publicity, culminating with a 60” roadblock on every station in NZ at 11h59 – just as Smirnoff’s first ever Half Day kicked Off!At this point stunt radio crews walked off the job to join the party at 12noon while other stations broadcast live from bars.Results:Increased brand health, increased market share, double-digit sales growth. Smirnoff’s Half Day Off was so successful that it will be repeated as an annual event in NZ, and be extended into other markets.Smirnoff’s Half Day Off …went Off! The Half Day Off campaign was a Media Event that was created for Smirnoff to take ownership of a social, rebellious and anti-work ethic in order to gain acceptance of the brand by young NZ adults.

Smirnoff, a widely known but dated brand, would have to “cut it” with the highly influential and the oh-so-cool early adopters and opinion leaders, in order to gain mainstream kudos.To ensure the success of the Half Day Off (a WRC/DDB brainchild), DDB’s media team developed the communication strategy that would lead to consumers discovering and participating in Smirnoff’s official coming out party.It was Media that created the path and tone of communication – finding engaging and clever ways to connect with the highly social and critically culture-conscious target.Creative grew out of the media smorgasbord – which involved a “tease”, “reveal” then “invite” strategy - across a range of mainstream and underground communication vehicles.Our innovative, targeted and humorous media program connected Smirnoff with consumers, infiltrated their world and lead them to the party!

Without question, the media strategy was directly responsible for success of The Half Day Off and the outstanding growth for Smirnoff that has stemmed from it. The Half Day Off deserves to win, because this original and highly effective Media Event delivered outstanding performance results for Smirnoff.

We took a dated and slumbering brand of yesteryear and turned it into a dynamic, desirable and popular adult beverage of choice for today’s young socialites.This impressively integrated and innovative media campaign delivered stunning results for a brand that had previously suffered from mainstream media anonymity and consumer indifference.Smirnoff’s traditional communications - based largely on lacklustre magazine and billboard advertising - were no longer working.

The Half Day Off was an exciting and involving public event that led to a total brand revolution, changed consumer perceptions of it’s core values, built Smirnoff into a brand of preference, and saw this preference converted into tangible, rapid sales growth.Both trade and consumers embraced the event - in fact this campaign transformed publicans and patrons into media vehicles - now that's synergy!The results speak for themselves:50% increase year on year in spontaneous awareness;19% increase in awareness of Smirnoff advertising;13% increase in target thinking “Smirnoff is the brand for me”;8.2% lift in market share;36% increase in sales.

The Half Day Off campaign was a Media Event that was created for Smirnoff to take ownership of a social, rebellious and anti-work ethic in order to gain acceptance of the brand by young NZ adults.

Smirnoff, a widely known but dated brand, would have to “cut it” with the highly influential and the oh-so-cool early adopters and opinion leaders, in order to gain mainstream kudos.To ensure the success of the Half Day Off (a WRC/DDB brainchild), DDB’s media team developed the communication strategy that would lead our target to discover and participate in Smirnoff’s official coming out party.It was Media that created the path and tone of communication – finding engaging and clever ways to connect with the highly social and critically culture-conscious target.Creative grew out of the media smorgasbord – which involved a “tease”, “reveal” then “invite” strategy - across a range of mainstream and underground communication vehicles.Our innovative, targeted and humorous media program connected Smirnoff with consumers, infiltrated their world and lead them to the party!

Without question, the media strategy was directly responsible for success of The Half Day Off and the outstanding growth for Smirnoff that has stemmed from it.