Targeting the male 25- to 35-year-old demographic, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) has launched its “Switch it Up” promotion for the month of January, centred around a series of quirky online video clips providing light-hearted alternatives for an entertaining night in with the guys.
“Our aim is to spice up otherwise dreary January by injecting some new, fun ideas for entertaining during traditional guys’ get-togethers,” says Kerri Dawson, LCBO’s director of integrated marketing.
Developed by Cossette‘s Toronto office, the campaign is being supported by in-store QR codes, online advertising and social media sharing options.
“We know that our target market’s media consumption is spent heavily online whether through their mobile devices or personal computers,” says Dawson. “We wanted to create a promotion with elements that would appeal to this group and encourage them to share with their friends.”
Driven to the SwitchItUp.ca microsite, visitors are able to select who they would invite (trillionaire, country singer, sportscaster), which activity they’ll being doing (grilling, watching sports or playing cards) and where (chalet, loft, man cave).
The resulting 20- to 30-second video skit features the special guest in a central role with three silent guys.
For example: “Trillionaire, Playing Cards, Loft” has the guest trillionaire holding oversize red jewels to his eyes and saying, “Hey guys, I’m the king of diamonds!”
Each spot ends with an LCBO signature, a different selection of bottles and a voiceover “When it’s a guys night in, switch it up.” Visitors are also invited to view all 27 unique videos at Vimeo.
Users can also click for more product information or be redirected to LCBO.com for tasting notes and product inventory at the end of each video.
The LCBO has used online video before as a component of integrated campaigns, but according to Dawson, “this would be the first [LCBO] campaign of its kind that is intended to reach the target customer primarily through a digital channel (which includes online videos).”
The campaign, running now, will extend to Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5.
