Brief:

• Absolut Vodka, the spirits brand marketed by Pernod Ricard, last week unveiled a social responsibility campaign to highlight the importance of consent in practicing safe sex, especially when alcohol is involved. The "Drink Responsibly, #SexResponsibly" campaign is running on the brand's social media channels, per an announcement shared with Mobile Marketer.
• The ads have slogans like "Binge-Watch and Chill? Not a Yes" and "Buying Someone a Drink Doesn’t Buy You a Yes," along with the #SexResponsibly hashtag. Absolut on Valentine's Day donated $1 to RAINN, the anti-sexual violence organization, for every share or retweet of its campaign on social media, per the announcement.​
• Absolut collaborated with social influencers to publicize its message through digital channels and has a microsite to provide more information about the campaign.

Insight:

Absolut's campaign acknowledges that alcohol consumption can be associated with sexual misconduct while raising awareness about social responsibility.

The brand cited data indicating that a person is sexually assaulted every 73 seconds in the U.S., frequently because of the misuse of alcohol by perpetrators. Encouragingly, the brand also found in a survey by KRC Research that nine out of 10 adults ages 21 to 30 have talked about consent with their friends and family, while one-third discusses the topic frequently. Absolut's campaign aims to participate in those conversations on social media while raising awareness of the issue of consent.

By enlisting influencers and urging social media to share Absolut's campaign, the brand can extend its reach among a wider group of adults while also promoting RAINN's efforts to help survivors of sexual assault, especially amid heightened awareness of sexual misconduct due to the #MeToo movement. The cause-driven campaign can help to emphasize Absolut's commitment to the conscientious use of its products, a message that's more likely to connect with millennial and Generation Z audiences that tend to favor socially responsible brands.

Absolut is among the brands that have launched cause-driven campaigns that rely on smartphones to interact with target consumers. Athletic apparel brand Adidas last year hosted a gamified augmented reality experience at its flagship store in Paris to highlight environmental sustainability. Last summer, Saucony debuted a social media campaign called "Run for Good" to raise money for charity while urging Instagram users to participate in an athletic challenge.