When Pernod Ricard asked bars across New Zealand to come up with a fresh way to engage customers with Absolut Vodka, a group of AdSchool students at Media Design School took up the challenge â and won.
A giant hourglass (made from Absolut bottles) counted down the Absolut
Hour each Wednesday for a month while punters enjoyed drink specials and
signature cocktails. Customers were also encouraged to scribble an idea
down on a canvas so prominent Britomart artists could turn it into a
work of art, with a catch â only during the Absolut Hour could they put their visions forward
and become a part of the project. Those who took part received an
Absolut Hour gift pack and an invite to the reveal party.
Owen Bryson, Anna Paine, James Burton, Jonathan Swan, Andrew Younge and Rory Dunleavy won $1000 for the idea, which they are putting towards their end of year show, and team leader Bryson is set to travel to Sweden to participate in the Absolut Academy Pro.
âPeople liked the idea before it manifested,â says Bryson. âIt gave them a chance to become a physical part of Racket Bar. The most rewarding part came from returning customersâ comments like âHey, see that acorn? I did that!â or âMy bat made it through!â. Adding this sense of ownership was integral to the idea.â
The concept helped boost Wednesday night business and attracted new customers to the bar, according to bartender Finn Hogan.
âI noticed that customers were immediately drawn to the hourglass,” he says.
“Customers looked forward to seeing what the artists would do with their drawings. When we exhibited the final piece in Racket for the last week, people were genuinely delighted to see their contribution come to life.”
