Clemenger BBDO Sydney: No more stress this year – you can go Dry(ish) July

This must be the Aussiest campaign ever. Clemenger BBDO Sydney is asking people to go dry-ish this July. Presumably because going completely teetotal is a major struggle. True, this year has already been a struggle, so well done, Clemenger for observing that no one really needs any more stress in their life.

The campaign also gives a fun twist to Dry July 2020 – see if you can out-dry your friend, partner, mum, dad, workmate…or millennial fruit of your loins. Dry(ish) July exists only for this year.

Aussies and Kiwis may commit to the original 31-day challenge or the new Dry(ish) July options of 21, or 14 days dry, or to nominate their own time period to take a break from alcohol.

Clemenger BBDO Sydney executive creative director, Brendan Willenberg, commented, “It’s a mad old world we’re living in at the moment so when Dry July Foundation asked us what to do in 2020, Dry(ish) July seemed like the best way to encourage as many Aussies as possible to get involved in the campaign. Whether you abstain for a fortnight, three weeks or the whole month, you are still raising important funds for people affected by with cancer.”

Brett Macdonald, chief executive officer and co-founder Dry July Foundation, admitted, “We get it, Aussies have had a really challenging first half of 2020. But what remains unchanged is that people affected by cancer still need our support. In fact, they need our support more than ever.

“We need as many people as possible to get involved with Dry July this year. That’s why, for the first time in Dry July’s 12 year history, we’re giving Aussies the opportunity to choose how long to go dry for, to help raise much-needed funds for cancer patients and their families.”

Research commissioned by FORWARD Agency on behalf of Dry July in February revealed that three in five Australians (61%) admitted to being sober-curious* and an 82% said they would benefit from less alcohol in their lives. Aussies can sign up to Dry July at www.dryjuly.com, and challenge their friends, family and workmates to join them or make a donation. Participants can raise funds for one of 33 beneficiary cancer organisations, including the Foundation’s six major beneficiaries – Cancer Council, Leukaemia Foundation, Look Good Feel Better, McGrath Foundation, Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and Redkite.

The Dry July campaign will run across TV, social media and various digital platforms.