DrinkWise, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne and Mediacom recently launched “How to Date Properly,” a cheeky addition to their How to Drink Properly campaign. Aimed at encouraging young Australians to date classy by “Drinking classy,” the work contains a host of important tips targeting young people as they negotiate the dating scene. The campaign is another phase of the highly successful campaign, which is aimed at helping young adults keep in control of their drinking, a particularly sticky issue in Australia, where binge drinking has become such an issue that the city of Sydney recently instigated a set of draconian lockout laws in order to cut down on public inebriation.
DrinkWise Marketing Director, Simon Strahan describes this new phase as an important step for How To Drink Properly. He said: “People can occasionally drink too much in awkward social situations as a way of boosting confidence - and dating can be one of the most nerve-racking experiences we face. How to Date Properly illustrates that while it is okay to drink, alcohol is not the answer to overcome nerves. Slowing their drinking and keeping count of drinks, knowing when to stop, enjoying a meal and adding water to the order will showcase their class to prospective partners – and potentially land them that second date. This helps set them up for learning to handle alcohol in social situations throughout their lives.”
Clemenger BBDO Melbourne Executive Creative Director, Ant Keogh, adds that the new phase shows how you can keep an established idea fresh but still relevant. He said: “We had a lot of fun thinking of dating fails, but we know our target will take the message on board and reflect on how to behave with alcohol when they feel terribly awkward.” Mediacom’s Stephen Benrad says it demonstrated a brave approach to an age old problem. He added: “Through these partnerships, DrinkWise has leveraged highly influential platforms to provide integrated, relevant messages to young Australians about the importance of moderate drinking. Clemenger has produced outstanding creative work which is accessible and humorous yet still addresses a very serious issue with our audience.”
Without preaching or condescending (something of a miracle given the subject matter), the content wryly suggests that keeping in control of your alcohol consumption will always lead to a better outcome, especially on a date, where getting drunk could lead to some serious alone time. The campaign will be featured on YouTube, Tinder, Spotify, Facebook, Instagram and a partnership with Pedestrian TV’s new dating page. The idea of using dating to underline the campaign was an inspired choice, especially considering we are all often tempted to use a little dutch courage for help when it comes to a first date.
