Bacardi: Beat Machine
Bacardi wanted to become the most talked about spirit brand for summer 2011. The brand needed to engage young people who desired digital self-expression. The challenge was to create a unique online experience that would significantly increase Bacardi's share of voice and make them active participants in content creation. They aimed for a 22.1% share of voice.
Creative Idea
Bacardi built a YouTube Beat Machine that let users remix music videos, fueling digital self-expression.
Bacardi created a "Beat Machine" interactive YouTube experience that allowed users to remix music videos using YouTube's secret video editing features, tapping into young people's desire for digital self-expression. By turning music video comments into a creative playground, Bacardi engaged its audience in a unique way that made them active participants in content creation.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Bacardi holds a long-standing association with rhythm, nightlife, and the 'untameable' energy of the party. They had the brand permission to move beyond selling spirits to providing the actual tools for creative musical expression.
Category
Spirit brands typically rely on passive lifestyle advertising, broadcasting high-gloss imagery of parties to consumers. The category rarely offers utility or interactive platforms, treating the audience as spectators rather than creators.
Customer
Young digital natives were no longer satisfied with just watching content; they craved social currency and self-expression. They wanted ways to 'remix' their digital world and showcase their own creativity to their peers.
Culture
The rise of 'remix culture' and the democratization of production tools turned every teenager into a potential creator. YouTube was evolving into a social playground where 'hacks' and hidden features were highly valued.
Company
Bacardi holds a long-standing association with rhythm, nightlife, and the 'untameable' energy of the party. They had the brand permission to move beyond selling spirits to providing the actual tools for creative musical expression.
Category
Spirit brands typically rely on passive lifestyle advertising, broadcasting high-gloss imagery of parties to consumers. The category rarely offers utility or interactive platforms, treating the audience as spectators rather than creators.
Strategy:
Hack YouTube's interface to turn passive listeners into active DJs, making Bacardi the engine of digital self-expression.
Customer
Young digital natives were no longer satisfied with just watching content; they craved social currency and self-expression. They wanted ways to 'remix' their digital world and showcase their own creativity to their peers.
Culture
The rise of 'remix culture' and the democratization of production tools turned every teenager into a potential creator. YouTube was evolving into a social playground where 'hacks' and hidden features were highly valued.
Strategy:
Hack YouTube's interface to turn passive listeners into active DJs, making Bacardi the engine of digital self-expression.
Strategy Technique
Build an Utility, Not an Ad
Bacardi created the Beat Machine, an interactive YouTube tool, allowing users to remix music videos. This utility engaged young people by enabling digital self-expression, making them active content creators.
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Creative Technique
Customize and personalize
Bacardi's Beat Machine allowed users to remix music videos, offering a tool for digital self-expression. This interactive experience enabled personalized content creation, tapping into a desire for unique online identity.
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