What inspired the core idea behind ‘We Do We’?

The concept of WE DO WE came to life around 18 and 24 months ago when we started our search for a new agency partner. McCann highlighted an interesting tension that sat at the heart of the work they had created – the idea of shifting from a me generation to a we generation.

Smirnoff has always been about bringing people together and with feelings of disconnection and isolation rising around the world it felt more important than ever to bring our message of inclusivity and social connection to life.

Who was the target audience?

We don’t tend to think about target audiences for our campaigns according to traditional demographics – as the biggest vodka brand in the world we know that our products are enjoyed by a whole range of people across the spectrum of ages, gender, ability, sexuality, needs and preferences.

Instead, this campaign was focussed on what we see as a universal insight around feelings of disconnection.  Across the US, AU, and UK we’ve found that there has been a steady decline in in-person socialization time with others since 1995. This was then amplified, of course, in recent years where we lost the ability to connect with each other. Our sense of community and togetherness was impacted.

For example, nearly half (42%) of Americans say they are “less sociable” now than they were in 2019 and our own research with McCann took a deep dive into this. We saw data that indicated that 60% of global LDA-29 say they “feel lonely despite being surrounded by friends and family” and 79% say their “emotional connections are weaker today than they were in the past”.

This really galvanised our mission to reignite the power of the collective though our WE DO WE campaign – giving us a real purpose and a space where we feel we can drive real change. I think it would be naïve of us to think we can solve the problems of loneliness and isolation we’re seeing. But as we move into the next phase of our campaign, we’re moving beyond comms and creative and into action – with events, initiatives, partnerships and experiences that are focussed on driving social connection and tailored with local nuances.

Can you describe the creative process?

Yes, it was definitely one of the most creatively exciting and challenging pieces of work I’ve ever been involved in. We wanted to ensure that our work was as diverse and inclusive as possible both in front of and behind the camera. So we sought a global collective of creatives, choreographers, producers, animators and 3D modellers with a diverse mix of ages, genders, ethnicity and abilities – but, although we used a lot of highly technical expertise, we still wanted it to feel human.

Each person’s unique features are represented in bubble form, with each reflecting its owner’s individuality and unique personality. This was achieved by ensuring that each bubble was individually crafted to reflect the characteristics of each person and by meticulously tailoring the way in which each bubble moved and reacted in the space.

The level of technical know-how and mathematical calculation, combined with the acrobatic skill, VFX craft and preparatory research created a unique, vibrant look in a way that has never been done before.

What were the key partnerships for this campaign?

We always want our partners to feel authentically Smirnoff and for there to be a natural affinity and cultural relevance with everything we do.

In Brazil we used the medium of dance to reignite social connections through our partnership with popstar IZA, a fantastic spokesperson for inclusivity and body positivity, to launch a unique track and dance challenge that has got everyone moving together. The initiative has spanned borders with interactive billboards in major global cities encouraging passers-by to get involved.

In the US, we’ve always had a strong connection to the NFL so brought them in to support with our WE DO Gameday activity with a playful spin on the idea of team spirit and the power of sport to bring people together.  We’ve also just launched our latest spot with Lance Bass with a tongue-in-cheek PSA to combat the festive ‘break-up curse’.

In the UK we’re reigniting social connection with a focus on lowering social barriers through a new long-term partnership with Sinead Burke’s accessibility and inclusion consultancy, Tilting the Lens, and Stonegate, one of the UK’s largest hospitality groups, to make socialising more accessible.

We’re excited to see more activities and partnerships coming to life around the world over the coming months as WE DO WE continues its roll-out.

What were the challenges of executing a global campaign?

It’s a good question and one many other brands of our scale wrestle with. As the biggest vodka brand in the world, we have a unique level of reach and impact but, of course, we want to ensure we’re creating work that feels as impactful for someone in the US as it does for someone in Latin America, Europe or Asia. Our approach has been to lean into the strengths of our scale with a ‘gl-ocal’ approach

Each country and its culture is unique, and that’s something that we celebrate. Whilst our overarching global campaign aims to reignite social connections at a broader level, we know that this will look different in each country and for each community.  We have worked with our market teams to identify key areas within their local communities where we can highlight, foster and supercharge social connection.

In the US we’ve been able to play on our NFL partnerships and tell our WE DO WE story through the lens of game day – a playful nod to the power of coming together through sport.

In Ireland we’re reigniting local nightlife in partnership with the biggest new nightlife venue in the country, Silo.

In Brazil the teams have playfully brought people together through the medium of dance in partnership with global icon, Iza.

Whilst in the UK we’ll be focussing on driving accessibility and supporting the Disabled community in clubs, bars and pubs to ensure everyone can enjoy moments together and experiences to their fullest.

WE DO WE will look different in each market but will have the same core message of the power of the collective at its heart, and that’s its strength.

Lastly, what marketing trends are you most excited about?

I’m very interested in how creator culture is shifting the ways in which consumers are experiencing brands.  As brand marketers, this is encouraging us to be more dynamic than ever before, having our finger on the pulse and being ready to engage at a moment’s notice.

I’m also loving watching so many legacy brands reinvent themselves for a generation looking to take something old and make it new again – great examples of this have been Crocs, Stanley, Converse; I mean, look at the Stranger Things phenomenon…

Speaking of the younger generation, they are making us double down on our brand values more than ever, which I see as a great thing.  Activating around a cultural conversation simply to secure column inches just won’t cut it these days, nor should it.  It’s important to focus on core brand values, sincerely investing in them and standing behind them when they are tested.