DB Export: I'm Drinking It For You
DB Export needed to boost its low-carb beer, DB Export 33, in a competitive market. The client sought to make the product more relatable and relevant to mainstream beer drinkers, overcoming the often-earnest category messaging. The goal was to increase brand appeal and sales by connecting with consumers authentically.
Creative Idea
A couple sang a romantic parody about drinking low-carb beer for each other's looks.
A romantic music video parody featured a plus-sized couple singing about drinking DB Export's low-carb beer for each other's looks. This self-aware, humorous take on vanity and health effectively differentiated the brand by embracing an honest, relatable absurdity within the low-carb category.
The Low Carb Ballad That Topped the Charts
A One Handed Romantic Masterpiece
To execute the visual gag of the "selfless act," director Damien Shatford and The Sweetshop filmed the male lead performing complex romantic gestures using only one hand. Whether painting a portrait or playing the flute, his other hand remained strictly occupied by a DB Export Gold. This physical comedy supported the "Drinking It For You" premise - a pivot from traditional "99% fat-free" functional messaging to a narrative about staying "tastier" for one’s partner. The production also prioritized inclusive casting, featuring a plus-sized couple to subvert the hyper-fit aesthetics usually found in both R&B videos and health-conscious beer ads.
Outperforming Pop Stars and Sales Targets
The campaign’s 90s-style R&B slow jam, performed by Keshia Paulse and Tom Batchelor, became a legitimate cultural phenomenon. Released as a single on Spotify and iTunes, the track climbed to #2 on the New Zealand Apple Music charts, outperforming mainstream global pop artists. This engagement translated into unprecedented commercial success; DB Export met its eight-month sales targets in just two weeks. It became the most successful new beer launch in New Zealand history, outperforming the previous record-holder by 300%.
Precision Targeting and Beer Bouquets
The digital rollout utilized custom intros where Keshia and Tom addressed viewers based on their specific location, time of day, or music taste. To bridge the gap between screens and physical retail for the Valentine’s Day launch, the brand sold "Beer Bouquets" - edible arrangements of beer bottles - which sold out almost instantly. With an average viewing time of 2:07 minutes on a nearly four-minute video, the campaign achieved a verified ROI of 10.68:1.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
DB Export, with its low-carb beer (DB Export 33), possessed a brand identity known for honest, often self-deprecating, Kiwi masculinity.
Category
Low-carb beer advertising typically promoted aspirational fitness or subtle health benefits, often avoiding direct, self-aware discussions of vanity.
Customer
Consumers felt the tension between wanting to enjoy beer and societal pressures regarding health and appearance, appreciating relatable, honest humor.
Culture
A cultural shift towards body positivity and self-aware humor allowed for challenging traditional advertising's perfect ideals with relatable honesty.
Company
DB Export, with its low-carb beer (DB Export 33), possessed a brand identity known for honest, often self-deprecating, Kiwi masculinity.
Category
Low-carb beer advertising typically promoted aspirational fitness or subtle health benefits, often avoiding direct, self-aware discussions of vanity.
Strategy:
Embrace the honest, self-aware tension of drinking low-carb beer for vanity to differentiate from aspirational norms.
Customer
Consumers felt the tension between wanting to enjoy beer and societal pressures regarding health and appearance, appreciating relatable, honest humor.
Culture
A cultural shift towards body positivity and self-aware humor allowed for challenging traditional advertising's perfect ideals with relatable honesty.
Strategy:
Embrace the honest, self-aware tension of drinking low-carb beer for vanity to differentiate from aspirational norms.
Strategy Technique
Break a Category Convention
The brand deliberately moved beyond traditional beer advertising clichés. By championing inclusivity, it broke category norms to refresh its image and connect with a modern audience.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Make a Parody
The campaign uses a parody approach to challenge conventional perceptions of disability. It subverts expectations by showcasing ability through humor, making an empowering statement.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign's craft is exceptional due to its brilliant fusion of songwriting, humor, and visual storytelling, creating a memorable and emotionally resonant narrative around a simple product benefit.
The original song is central to the campaign, cleverly integrating the product message into a catchy, soulful, and humorous love anthem that is both memorable and perfectly executed in its performance and production.
The lyrics are witty and integral to the concept, using everyday scenarios to demonstrate the 'one hand' benefit in a charming and relatable way, avoiding overt sales pitches.
The main couple delivers genuinely endearing and humorous performances, effectively conveying warmth, affection, and comedic timing, making the abstract concept feel grounded and human.
The editing seamlessly weaves together diverse scenes, from domestic intimacy to musical performance and surreal dance, maintaining a coherent narrative and enhancing the comedic and romantic beats through precise timing.
The magic of this campaign truly comes from the synergy between the brilliant original song and its clever, humorous lyrics, brought to life by the endearing performances and dynamic editing, making the 'one hand' beer concept feel universal and fun.
