Setting an Example Lots of Ways

IABC's Communicator lead me to the award-winning 'Lots of Ways' campaign created for the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC).

Lots of Ways promoted social responsibility. To connect with its audience, the campaign created three fictional, entertaining entrepreneurs who could provide a ride home after a night on the town: Burly Joe's Piggyback rides; Wheelbarrow Wilie; and Donnie's Donkeys.

The campaign's success is in large part because of their holistic marketing approach. Multiple communication vehicles with a wide variety of brand-building elements from t-shirt give-a-ways for playing a video game (that reminds me of Frogger – a game that tells you how old I am!) to a video contest for a Sony MPEG4 Net Sharing Camcorder.

I love the idea of getting to know each character through the various online videos, blogs and jingles. The connection to these characters was then expanded using print and radio advertising, soundboards mounted in washrooms in bars and restaurants, Facebook, downloadable ring tones, business cards, etc.

Each communications vehicle kept the message consistent: There are lots of ways to get home safely, all you need is one.

Partnering with important stakeholders such as the RCMP, CAA, and the cell phone service #TAXI added an important educational element, legitimacy, and, I imagine, additional promotional avenues.

According to the IABC article, website traffic for the six-week holiday period was 75,000 hits, almost 6,000 contest entries and the distribution of 100,000 #TAXI key tags at NSLC retail stores.


I am very curious about the budget allocated for this project. While well worth it, resources need to be high when you use traditional marketing to augment a social campaign, something I am finding more and more important in getting a campaign to stand out among so many competing sites today. Congratulations Lots of Ways for your 22 awards and counting!