120 MINUTES
In 2004, the Bacardi corporation was becoming aware of the perception of its top brand Bacardi Rum as a mainstream brand. The company was asking itself how they could increase relevance for urban opinion leaders and other individuals seemingly immune to brands.
In several workshops we nourished their interest in the development of platforms on which brands and consumers could meet and develop brand communication activities together, with consumers, from consumers, for consumers. Consumer involvement meant opening a dialogue between marketeers and marketing targets and turning foes into friends. We aimed at making the brand open and experiential for core target groups.
An extraordinary invitation kicked off the campaign calling upon individuals in various cities to found a secret action organization together, The Batcave, a name derived from the brand’s logo.
Next we “whooed” the persons of interest by giving Batcave members control over marketing budgets to develop and produce 120 minute long theme parties, each one having its own theme and advertising concept.
120 Minutes is a party format, which takes place in unconventional urban places at irregular times with secret themes, line ups, entertainment acts and running orders.
The teams were requested to experiment with non-standardized guerilla advertising and make communication an event in itself, e.g. in the shape of public interventions or media hijacking. Not just the events were events, the entire pre-roll advertising was, too. Thus we attracted maximum public attention for the Batcave and the 120 Minutes party format.
The Batcave’s brief? Be surprising, unexpected and daring for maximum fame and success. The biggest surprise for all: the brand excluding agencies from the consumer dialogue and handing money and creative freedom to the target group without executing any sort of control on the overall brand appearance.
Photos: Anya Zuchold, Friedrich Möhle, Peggy Kahl, Stefanie Fizir, Christian Kaesbach
Designs: Anne Lüth, Tim Kaiser, Dan Eckhardt, Andrew Sinn
