IAKI was asked by ILLVA to revive Artic Vodka & Fruit. To do so, it has created a customer engagement campaign focused on the concept of socialization. An integrated project consisting in a spot that connects two different worlds, a new site, a competition on social media and mobile, as well as a circuit of festivals that will cover the entire summer.
Sandro Marchetti, CEO of IAKI, tells his experience.
What were ILLVA’s objectives with this project?
We were asked to reposition Artic Vodka fruit, raising the age of potential consumers to the 18-24 years segment, revitalizing the image and increasing sales.
What’s been your customer engagement strategy?
We started from the product: a flavored vodka with moderate alcohol content, pleasant taste and easy to drink we called “vodka with fruit that hits you but does not knocks you out” in the Facebook page. The moment of consumption together is central to Artic, even more than tasting the product. That’s why I made a commitment to repeat every brain storming, like a mantra: “Artic is the vodka that connects people.”
Whats the creative idea behind the commercial?
We speculated on the concept of social drink, Artic is the medium (fruit flavored) where the socialization of our target dwells. The boomerang of the spot is a symbol of communication between people at a distance (an Eskimo boy and a Caribbean girl) who discover that they are close in a moment of relaxation and fun. Artic Vodka is that, the ice breaker that connects people. Besides there’s the new logo, the result of the recent restyling.
The commercial was aired in short cuts, from 10 to 15 seconds; what solutions have you adopted to preserve the original concept?
We invented a language close to the world of product: Shot & Mix. Communication pills and different worlds mixed together. In the case of the commercial, mixing images of socialization and the product, shaken with video techniques that enhanced these fragments. Due to the short cut we did not have the temptation to dilute the product and we could do a little shot advertising, a short vodkamovie.
How did come up with the idea of a competition platform, built on mobile, social media, web and events?
A contact strategy could not be confined to a single platform, desiring to establish a real and widespread participation. This is why we have brought the competition in places where people socialize: on facebook, youtube and myspace, on the phone through the mobile site and in live events this summer. We have enhanced the strengths of each context, but conveying a single, with the same values.
How did you coordinate so different project elements such as web, adv and events?
We are one agency, structured in separate operating divisions. This allows us to develop specific knowledges, but without going farther than next door to do it. This allowed us to confront constantly.
What’s been the most important decision you made on this project?
We stayed focused on the brand values: “Artic is the vodka that connects people” I have also written this on billboards scattered here and there in the meeting room, so for nothing subliminal. And it worked.