By Malay Desai
From: Sydney, by The Monkeys
After a supply flaw in the Australian flavoured milk brand’s market, there was much negative feedback for the company about unavailability in stores. To combat this, Oak planned ‘reverse robberies’, wherein masks robbers would storm into convenience stores, stock the fridge with the products and dart away. In homes, they’d even make the owner wear a special t-shirt. After initiating one robbery, a Facebook promotion asked residents to request if they wanted their neighbourhood robbed.
Why we Like
Enough festive talk, let’s get down to what we do best – tell you of innovative yet hardcore marketing solutions to sales and consumer problems. The entrant here is one of Down Under’s largest-selling beverages (no, not beer), a flavoured milk brand.
The problem here was one any brand from a mom-n-pop shop to a Toyota has faced in the past – distribution trouble. And for a FMCG like flavoured milk, it does not take long for one flaw to expose several chinks in the supply system, creating the most hurtful bad press - from customers’ mouths. Thumbs up to the agency’s monkey business for hatching this cool-th to tackle a problem pretty grave.
Brownie point one: the campaign involves Sergeant John Henry, an existing character of the brand anyway, in the form of masks worn by the ‘reverse robbers.’ The idea is simply about replenishing stock at hotspot outlets and homes, but putting the onus on consumer demand for the reverse robbery. And as the drink is confident of receiving several requests for getting their fridges robbed (ie people wanting free milk cartons too!), this is a low-risk, high-result initiative.
The details put in the execution – robbers vrooming in a van, creating a fake sense of panic and making residents raise hands and wear a ‘I’ve been reverse robbed’ t-shirt, are topnotch. They put the surprise element in the video, which in turn leads audiences to interact.
The smart thing here:the campaignputs the onus of demand on the consumer, hidingits own flaw. The disgruntled Oak loyalist won’t rant, but will write in to get his fridge replenished. (Oh, and the terminologies here are pretty wicked too – they call fridges ‘weak and pathetic’, and hence, target-worthy.)
Finally, the video being shot handheld and ending with the mask robber reading out a warning message is the icing. The ragged sign he puts up is a superb call to action if you’re an Aussie milk drinker.
Desi brands, the next time you stumble upon a supply hitch, create a stunt. Firefighting can be awesome too.
Watch the video on - Goo.gl/RQU5E
