The Cloned Sidewalk
ABinBev
Issue 48 | September 2018
Agency
DDB Worldwide Colombia
Creative Team
CCO Leo Macias Creative Leo Macias Creative Directors Andre´s Restrepo (“LAMA”), Pipe Jaimes (“CHAN”) Graphic Designers Nestor Benjumea, Camilo Go´mez, Carolina Pa´ez, Diego Betancour, Andre´s Torres Copywriters Oscar Lo´pez, Daniela Prieto, Fredy Castro, Felipe Cendales
Production Team
Production Company Los Notarios Senior Producer Daniel Mesa Producer Director Ruben Dari´o Lozano Music Production Radio Bemba Media Agency Zenith PR
Other Credits
CEO Borja De La Plaza Planning VP Jorge Becerra Planner Carlos Corres Account Director Natalia Fuentes, Natalia Herna´ndez Account Executive Daniel Salazar, Natalia Rojas, Catalina Co´rdoba Client Cerveza Poker Miguel Merino, Juan Carlos Carvajal
Date
April 2018
Background
Many countries have laws forbidding people from drinking in public spaces. Colombia, however, did not have legislation of this sort until very recently and the pavement areas outside popular bars had been the social gathering place for millions.
Friendships had started and been nurtured on the sidewalks of Colombia’s towns and cities but now drinking on the pavements was banned.
A survey of 12,000 Colombians suggested that 91% of people saw nothing wrong with drinking on the sidewalk.
Poker, the beer that stood for friendship, wanted to do something about this.
Idea
To allow people to drink together freely on the sidewalk but without breaking the law required careful study of the new legislation.
There appeared to be a loophole. There was nothing to stop people drinking on a sidewalk if it was on private property. So Poker built bars in off- street locations with perfectly recreated sidewalks in front of them, cloning the old gathering places down to the graffiti and the scuff marks on the walls.
The purpose was to show the Government that drinking on the sidewalks was a cultural tradition, which hurt no-one and to get them to consider repealing the law.
Results
There were more than 6 million views of the video in two weeks, with a total of 450 million interactions. 500.000 people asked Poker to clone their own particular sidewalks. People created a page at change. org thanks to this idea.
Our Thoughts
Two ideas from Poker in this one issue. (The other is on pages 52-53)
Traditionally, brand advertising followed culture. Beer ads paid homage to hit TV shows or movies. But today, if brands want to be seen as relevant, they need to be actively involved in culture. Here is Poker making a statement and suddenly appearing to be a participant in national life rather than a passive observer..
Here’s a brand with a point of view. With opinions. Not everyone will agree with them but Poker know that those who do will agree with them passionately.
We raise a glass to you in Colombia.