It’s good to listen. Droga5 Sydney has been listening to Aussies asking over and over, “Why do they call it -196?” The question has puzzled plenty of Aussies ever since this cult classic from Japan hit local shelves. Because while its unexpected blend of shochu, vodka and whole lemons has made it one of the country’s best-selling RTDs, almost no one can explain the name on the can.
The agency has turned the confusion into creative fuel – and launched an explosive new campaign that reinvigorates the brand’s Extreme Japanese Spirit platform. What starts as a simple search for meaning in Aussie pubs and nightclubs quickly spirals into a gloriously unhinged journey through a Tokyo subway, and late night konbini, before leading giant lemons to their ultimate refreshing destiny.
The spots end with -196’s famous scientist finally answering the question once and for all. The name comes from Suntory’s proprietary Whole-Freeze-Crush technology, that freezes lemons at -196°C before crushing them and infusing them with vodka and shochu.
The campaign films, directed by Arthur Studholme from Finch, and starring Japanese actor, Akira Sato, bring big energy and even bigger imagination across BVOD/SVOD, online, OOH, social, and in-store.
The project was developed in close collaboration with Droga5 Tokyo to ensure an authentic, if offbeat, representation of modern Japan, sharing inspiration from Japan’s own unique and memorable style of advertising.
Barbara Humphries, chief creative officer of Droga5 ANZ, stated, “It’s been a lot of fun creating the next instalment of -196 madness with our friends at Droga5 Tokyo and Finch. It’s always great when a simple product truth can unlock such a bonkers world to play in, allowing us to create moments as intense as the drink itself.”
Credits:
Client: Suntory Global Spirits
Creative Agency: Droga5 Sydney, in collaboration with Droga5 Tokyo, part of Accenture Song
ANZ Marketing Practice Lead, CEO of Droga5 ANZ: Matt Michael
Chief Creative Officer: Barbara Humphries
Creative Directors: Max Rapley and Danny Pattison
Art Director: Lachlan Rotherham
Copywriter: Georgie Parchert
Head of Strategy: Ben De Castella
Chief Client Officer: Belinda Drew
Business Director: Harrison Stone
Business Manager: Matthew Stafford
National Head of Production: Romanca Mundrea
Head of Production: Penny Brown
Senior Producer: Simone OConnor
Design Lead: Melissa Watson
Production Company: Finch
Director: Arthur Studholme
Editor: Drew Thompson
Finish: ARC Sydney
Audio Production & Music Supervision: Sonar Music
Sound Designer: Tim Bridge
Music Composition: Jono Ma
Media Agency: PHD
