How Smirnoff is addressing the loneliness epidemic in new campaign

A global ad campaign from Smirnoff aims to address a plague of loneliness through creative demonstrations of people blending together like the ingredients of a cocktail, from drag bars to football stadiums. A new spot called “Atomic” shows a diverse mix of people spontaneously turning into bubbles that bounce off one another, turn back into human form, and connect. It comes from Interpublic Group of Cos.’ McCann New York, which was hired as the Diageo-owned brand’s global creative agency of record a year ago. The ad is part of “We Do We,” the global brand platform adopted by the vodka brand over the summer. The platform is intended to build an audience for Smirnoff by promoting a sense of belonging through diversity and inclusion, said Stephanie Jacoby, Smirnoff's global brand director. Meant to underpin the new brand platform, “Atomic” will debut today in the U.K. and in Canada. In the U.S., a similar message of togetherness is being carried out through ads associated with Diageo’s NFL sponsorship. In Brazil, the campaign is leveraging a partnership with pop singer Iza. Consumers since the pandemic have seen their social lives take a hit, impacting brands such as Smirnoff that rely on bar and restaurant traffic. Nearly 80% of 18-29 year-olds feel their emotional connections are weaker today than they were five years ago, and 50% of Americans say they socialize less than they did in 2019, Jacoby said, citing research done by McCann Worldgroup. “As we were working on this campaign, and information was emerging about the loneliness epidemic … it became apparent to us that given the role we play, it was important for us to kind of lean in and talk about this, and think about how we could be part of inspiring people to come together and lifting some of the barriers that people might feel that are getting in the way of social connection,” Jacoby said in an interview. “I think the pandemic really amplified for us the importance of the connections that we feel to each other,” she added. “So that just felt like a space that was important and credible for the brand to talk about.” Also read: Smirnoff leans into diversity for campaign “Atomic,” named for the particles or bubbles that make up a cocktail, utilized acrobat actors, yoga balls and special effects, according to a behind-the-scenes video posted on YouTube. The ad could run in the U.S. following Smirnoff’s ongoing NFL campaign, which runs through February, Jacoby said. “I think what we really love about this idea that McCann brought to us is this metaphor of life is like a cocktail, which obviously works on so many levels for the Smirnoff brand: It’s simple, yet powerful,” she said. Smirnoff is accompanying “Atomic” in the U.K. with a focus on making bars and restaurants more accessible, partnering with Tilting the Lens, an accessibility and inclusion consultancy, and Stonegate, one of the U.K.’s largest hospitality groups. A kickoff event this week was curated by LGBTQ+ nightclub performers Sink the Pink and included appearances by little person and comic Fats Timbo and Drag Syndrome, a drag group featuring performers with Down’s Syndrome. In the U.S., Smirnoff is taking a more conventional approach to illustrating togetherness behind an NFL campaign known as “We Do Game Days,” also from McCann, that features actor Anthony Anderson. “We Do Game Days” has been running since September, featuring a national ad and seven regional spots. “We are bringing to life, in a very playful way, the power of the connection that’s created through sports,” Jacoby said. “We love the insight that when you talk about your team, you talk about ‘we’—‘we’ won, ‘we’ have the best team.” The contrasting approaches in the U.K. and the U.S. come as some U.S. brands, notably Bud Light, have faced fierce backlash for associating with LGBTQ+ performers. Jacoby said Smirnoff was seeking to show up in the most relevant way wherever it activates. The brand has long supported LGBTQ+ causes. “I think the challenge and the opportunity that we always face, like many global brands, is creating a really clear North Star, which for this campaign is the idea of lifting barriers to social connection all over the world because social connection is what we can bring to people,” Jacoby said. “But the way that shows up, we allow for flexibility because we know that we need to ensure that we’re creating space for real cultural resonance for our markets to lean in in ways that feel most timely and relevant for them.” Smirnoff grew sales by 6% globally in 2022 but was down by 2% in the U.S., according to Shanken News Daily. Jacoby said the brand is resonating with consumers who are watching their budgets, and is seeing rapid growth through flavored line extensions such as Spicy Tamarind and Pink Lemonade. “Spicy T” is a hit among Hispanic consumers but also has crossover appeal, Diageo execs said during the company’s Investor Day earlier this month.

How Smirnoff is addressing the loneliness epidemic in new campaign

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