Over the past two years, Absolut Vodka has been using their Absolut Nights marketing campaign to reestablish themselves as the trendsetter for night life. Based primarily around videos that range from 30 seconds to a minute, they show a diverse range of people having different interpretations of similarly wonderful nights, involving dancing, fireworks and watching the sunrise with friends or a special someone, and of course a cocktail made with Absolut. The campaign has garnered great success for the brand, including an increase in sales of 5.8%. They've also expanded from the more traditional videos (albeit ones with a heavy social media presence and strong use of hash-tagging) onto more innovative platforms and mediums, including the app, Hoppr, for finding the best events in nightlife. Now, Absolut is not just positioning themselves to be an industry leader in nightlife, but in teaming up with electronic music producer, Deadmau5, to create a virtual reality game for mobile devices as well as a limited edition headset, they're opening new and exciting avenues for branding. The collaboration is a great way of combining gaming and music with today's hottest technology. Deadmau5, a well-known gaming enthusiast, is also known for having fans who seek out the most cutting edge technology. Both gaming and music are ideal areas to explore through the immersive medium of virtual reality, and in what is truly 21st century marketing, the campaign pairs perfectly with a live event: on the day the game is released, July 27, Deadmau5 will be performing a live event in NYC.
The VR of the game operates in the same way as Google Cardboard, but Absolut and Deadmau5 have created their own special edition branded players, on sale now for $18 (which is only $3 more than the least expensive Google Cardboard player). Plus, the app will work with other headsets, and other apps will work with the special edition headset. The goal was not to monetize the game or the headsets, but to create a truly unique experience for old and new fans alike of both the vodka brand and Deadmau5. The game combines real footage from Deadmau5's concerts, exclusive songs as well as mini-games of running and driving.
The collaboration, the game, the music and the live event all work together beautifully to perfectly convey Absolut's brand message of having an unforgettable night. This newest addition to the Absolut Nights campaign also demonstrates how many ways there are to expand beyond physical events in addition to the regular use of social media and a digital presence.
As we continue into the 21st century, we look forward to helping our clients explore the many ways that they can use events to create powerful branding opportunities that extend far beyond four walls. Contact us to help you get started.
