Pre-Testie Bestie

Background

Every year in New Zealand, around 3,000 babies are born with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. And millennials are most at risk, often drinking while unaware they’re pregnant. With 40% of NZ pregnancies unplanned and the majority of those deciding to keep the baby rather than abort, the Health Promotion Agency needed 18-30 year-olds to avoid alcohol if there was even the slightest chance of pregnancy. Problem is, if millennials were toldnottodrink,they’dreply,“Getf**ked.”

Idea

The insight was that a friend’s support made it easier for a young woman to opt not to drink when potentially pregnant. She would be far more receptive to a friend telling her not to drink than the government. So, the idea was to create the ‘Pre-Testie Bestie’, an anti-booze wing-woman, if you will, who prevented her friend from alcohol.

Girls were inspired to become Pre- Testie Besties themselves via an online series that followed Dillon as she kept potentially pregnant Bex off the booze.

To keep viewers engaged, the story led to a classic cliff hanger. Is. Bex. Preg?! Viewers had to wait 21 days, the length of time it took to test accurately, before they finally found out. While exaggerated for comedic effect, each episode showed how to be a supportive friend and modelled the non-drinking behaviour wanted.

Results

Within hours, thousands of young Kiwi women started pledging to be ‘Pre-Testie Besties’ for friends, should the occasion ever arise. At the end of the 21 day campaign, they had not only exceeded the Health Promotion Agency’s targets but smashed industry norms: 90% of women aged 18-30 were reached (surpassing the 70% target). Over 7,000 conversations were initiated between Pre-Testie Besties, over 11 million views were received across YouTube and Instagram and a video completion rate of 49% was achieved above YouTube standard. Ad recall was 978% above industry norms.

YouTube dubbed it the best performing social PSA campaign ever in Australasia.

Our Thoughts

In this issue of Directory, as in many recent issues, there are clever examples of technology finding new ways to get people to interact with the brand. But, y’know, sometimes what it takes is good old- fashioned craft skills.

These short films have been written by a woman (Lennie Galloway) who clearly understands her target audience inside out. Then they have been directed and performed with a brilliant lightness of touch. In the wrong hands, public service films like these can all too often become numbingly embarrassing or woodenly finger-wagging.

Technology hasn’t completely taken over our industry. There is still plenty of room for artistry and finesse. In fact, they are probably needed more than ever if you want to get through to a generation that doesn’t want to be got through to.