Client: Guinness

Audience: 18-24

Core aim: Steal lager drinkers / try for first time

Deadline: 1 month main production, with 3 month maintenance / refresh

Guide Budget: £200k

Suggested strategy: Mobile based? Rich media Flash? Social networking?

Restrictions: Strict brand guidlines

guinness has long had an image of being an old mans drink for consumption in an oldy worldy pub with a fidler in the corner. the creation of guinness red is a effort to reach out to the larger market of larger drinkers.

a non Guinness drinker is encouraged to film their first Guinness adventure and they are encouraged to make it as special as possible with the prospect of reward for the most publicly appreciated.  (hinting at similarities with other first experiences.

with the success of the first phase of viral marketing its is hoped that the competition and its entries will create more and more interest, creating more video entries thus completing the cycle.

The best way we felt advertising for the website would be through a flash viral production of Guinness “First Time” ecards for both occasions and in general. Consumers of the product will have a helping hand in recommending the beverage to friends or family that have not shared the same experience. Word of mouth has long been one of the most defining and important method of publicity. All great conversations and general chat start in the pub. The site will benefit from this too. to encourage conversation and participation with the scheme there will be a monthly winner selected because of their video by its rating and they will be promoted to a hall of fame and will receive a prize of some Guinness merchandise.

The leaders of the big beer companies meet for a drink. The president of Budweiser orders a Bud, the CEO of Miller gets a Miller, the head of Coors orders a Coors, and so on. Until it’s Arthur Guinness’s turn. He orders a soda.

“Why didn’t you order a Guinness?” everyone asks.

Guinness replies, “if you guys aren’t having beer, then neither will I.”

Guinness is a popular stout beer born out of Ireland and widely produced and consumed in the UK. There is a current gap in the market for a younger audience which Half Full productions is capitalising on in its new campaign for the company. With a strong brand image and name, it is not this we feel needs to be re branded, but for its target to be refocused.

Focusing on the popular format of UGC within our target audience of 18-24, and wanting to encourage people to Try Guinness for the first time, we have combined the two to create a great concept.

The main idea is a micro-site designed for users to upload videos of their “first time” drinking a pint of Guinness and encouraging people to do something special with this experience. This is then published on the web to share with other “new drinkers” and their experiences. An online “First Time” Guinness Community!

I remember my first time . . .

. . . full bodied, dark and smooth. such a great taste!

That was a great pint of Guinness!

If only I could share my experience with other first timers and encourage new people to indulge in something so special.

Share the magic and the love for the drink!

Team HalfFull