Launching the WFA Responsible Marketing Pact to a global audience

The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) represents the world's biggest marketers. On behalf of eight leading global alcohol producers (AB InBev, Bacardi, Brown-Forman, Carlsberg, Diageo, Heineken, Pernod Ricard and SABMiller), it was launching the Responsible Marketing Pact (RMP).

The RMP was the first cross-sector self-regulation programme for alcohol advertising at EU level.

The WFA needed a strategy and delivery plan to take the RMP to two very different audiences: regulators and policymakers at EU and national level, and the general public, who needed to know the pact existed and what it covered.

The pact brought three action streams (placement, appeal and social media) into one holistic approach, and all three had to be explained clearly.

We ran a series of stakeholder workshops to define the key messages and understand the audiences we were speaking to. Persona modelling informed the UX and framed the whole experience, online and offline.

We started with the value proposition and a manifesto to guide a cohesive strategy from then on.

We created a new identity for the RMP and delivered brand guidelines, a new website, social channel branding and content, and a promotional campaign.

The centrepiece was a short film. After scouting several locations we chose an abandoned airfield hangar, which gave us space and the urban feel we wanted. The narrator spoke directly to camera in one continuous take, so viewers felt personally addressed. The film was shared online, through social and on partner websites across Europe.

The RMP launched with a clear identity and a film that reached millions. Awareness grew quickly, with 3.8 million unique views in the first month and a 259% rise in website visits.