-196 (MINUS 196)
ZEALCREATIVE LTD
Client: SUNTORY FOOD AND BEVERAGE GB&I
The challenge? This was a drink that made no sense to anyone. First, it was a strange Japanese shochu and vodka concoction. No one knew what shochu was, let alone how it tasted. Second, it was made in a remarkable yet unheard-of way. Who would think to freeze whole lemons to –196 degrees, smash them to smithereens, and create a uniquely lemony flavour? And then there was the name. On its own, it just seemed… weird. Who would try this drink, let alone share it with friends? Our brief was to make sense of the nonsensical and create an integrated launch campaign to ‘crush’ their UK entry. We had to explain –196 to 20-29-year-olds with a PR-worthy splash that got cans into the right hands. Instead of removing friction, we leaned into it - creating an immersive quest that made little sense until it did. This experience captured the fascinating weirdness of Japanese pop culture, revealing the drink’s true nature, mad methods, and fun spirit to those curious enough to engage. We built a valuable brand from scratch, delivering hundreds of thousands of samples in a rich trade and consumer experience. Within six months, –196 achieved 7% penetration and 31% awareness, matching some of the biggest players. As we at –196 say: It didn’t make sense, until it did!