We now have ‘Drink Responsibly’ on every alcohol ad and, in some places anyway, ‘When the fun stops, stops’ for the blight of betting ads.
Now Absolut, which has majored on diversity for the past couple of years, advises us to ‘Sex Responsibly’ in a tie-up with the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), a US-based anti-sexual violence group, in its Valentine’s Day campaign from BBH Singapore.
Pernod Ricard US CMO Jonas Tahlin says: “Absolut has a long and authentic history as a cultural provocateur. We’ve never shied away from topics, personalities, communities or conversations that pave the way to a more open and inclusive world.”
Should brands be trying to shape behaviour in this way? Obviously booze plays a role in numerous disagreements over sex – quite a lot of which end up in court – so Absolut is, in a way, protecting its own back.
In a more mundane marketing sense, such vast amounts have been spent on Valentine’s Day campaigns this year that it’s hard to think that’s it and the last we’ll hear from them. Be interesting to see if Absolut’s ‘Sex Responsibly’ lasts beyond February 14.
