In an era where consumer attention is more fragmented than ever, standing out in the beverage industry requires bold moves and innovative strategies that transcend traditional marketing. A prominent wine brand, 19 Crimes, under the umbrella of Treasury Wine Estates, has taken this challenge head-on with a groundbreaking out-of-home (OOH) advertising campaign across the UK and Ireland. With a staggering media investment of £712,000, this initiative represents the brand’s most ambitious above-the-line (ATL) effort to date. It’s not just about selling wine; it’s about embedding the brand into the cultural zeitgeist, capturing consumer imagination through strategic placements and immersive experiences. This campaign offers a compelling glimpse into how a wine brand can redefine advertising by blending digital innovation with real-world engagement, setting a new benchmark for how beverages can connect with audiences in meaningful ways beyond the bottle.
Blending Digital and Physical for Maximum Impact
The essence of 19 Crimes’ latest campaign lies in its seamless integration of digital and physical advertising formats to create a multi-dimensional consumer experience. Large-format digital displays illuminate cityscapes in key urban centers like London, Manchester, and Birmingham, while digital roadside screens capture the attention of passersby with vibrant visuals. Mobile digital vans add a dynamic layer, weaving through high-traffic areas to ensure the brand remains top-of-mind. Complementing these efforts is a robust paid social media strategy that amplifies reach online, connecting with audiences who might not encounter the physical activations. This multi-channel approach demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of how modern consumers interact with brands across various touchpoints, ensuring that whether someone is scrolling on their phone or walking down a bustling street, 19 Crimes is there to make an impression with consistent messaging and bold creativity.
Beyond the digital realm, the campaign’s physical presence is equally striking, with in-store support strategically placed near priority retailers in major cities across the UK and Ireland. This proximity to points of purchase is a calculated move to convert visibility into sales, bridging the gap between awareness and action. The brand’s focus on high-footfall locations ensures that the message reaches a broad audience at critical moments of decision-making. By combining these physical placements with digital activations, 19 Crimes crafts a cohesive narrative that surrounds consumers from multiple angles. This strategy not only boosts brand recognition but also fosters an environment where the impulse to purchase feels natural and immediate. Such integration of formats showcases a forward-thinking approach, illustrating how traditional OOH can evolve when paired with contemporary tools to resonate deeply with today’s diverse and distracted audiences.
Cultural Integration Through Strategic Event Activations
A defining feature of 19 Crimes’ advertising push is its deliberate alignment with cultural events to forge emotional connections with consumers. During the August Bank Holiday period, the brand deploys mobile digital vans at major festivals and gatherings, placing itself directly in the heart of vibrant community celebrations. These strategic activations target moments when audiences are most engaged and receptive, embedding the brand into experiences that are inherently memorable. By associating with culturally significant occasions, 19 Crimes taps into the collective energy of these events, positioning itself as more than just a beverage but as a part of shared social narratives. This approach underscores a growing trend in marketing where relevance is achieved not through mere exposure but through meaningful participation in the cultural fabric.
Further enhancing this cultural integration, the brand has partnered with Superdrug Presents to offer product trials of ready-to-drink cans, spiced rum, and sparkling wine at various pop-up locations. These direct interactions allow consumers to experience the product firsthand, breaking down barriers between brand and buyer. Such experiential marketing initiatives create lasting impressions, as they provide tangible engagement opportunities that digital ads alone cannot replicate. Supported by creative input from advertising agencies BBJ&K and Red Brick Road, the campaign leverages data-driven insights to ensure these activations occur in areas with the highest concentration of the target demographic. This precision targeting maximizes impact, ensuring that every encounter with the brand feels relevant and personal. The result is a campaign that doesn’t just advertise a product but weaves it into the everyday lives and celebrations of its audience, redefining how wine brands can build loyalty through lived experiences.
Driving Sales with Data-Driven Visibility
At the core of 19 Crimes’ campaign is a meticulous, data-led strategy designed to optimize visibility and drive sales conversions. John Keane, Media Strategy Director at BBJ&K, highlights how the combination of bold, large-format displays and dynamic mobile activations targets key cities where the brand’s core audience is most active. By analyzing consumer behavior and foot traffic patterns, the campaign ensures that advertising efforts are concentrated near priority retailers, making the transition from seeing an ad to making a purchase as seamless as possible. This focus on proximity reflects a broader industry consensus that effective advertising must do more than raise awareness; it must facilitate immediate action. With over 30 million impressions anticipated, the scale of this reach underscores the power of combining data with creativity to achieve measurable outcomes in a competitive market.
Moreover, the campaign’s emphasis on blending traditional OOH tactics with modern digital tools offers a blueprint for how brands can adapt to evolving consumer expectations. The use of mobile vans and social media alongside static displays creates a surround-sound effect, ensuring the brand remains visible across multiple platforms and contexts. This adaptability is crucial in an era where attention spans are fleeting, and competition for consumer focus is fierce. Chantal McDowell, International Marketing Manager at 19 Crimes, notes the brand’s significant growth trajectory and its commitment to maintaining cultural resonance through such ATL initiatives. By prioritizing locations and formats that align with consumer lifestyles, the campaign not only boosts visibility but also strengthens brand affinity. This strategic alignment of data and placement exemplifies a modern marketing ethos that prioritizes precision and relevance, setting a high standard for how wine brands can translate exposure into tangible business results.
Reflecting on a Bold Marketing Legacy
Looking back, 19 Crimes’ £712,000 OOH campaign across the UK and Ireland stood as a testament to the power of innovative advertising in the beverage sector. It masterfully balanced digital displays, mobile activations, and cultural event tie-ins to create a comprehensive brand experience that resonated with millions. The strategic focus on urban centers and retail proximity ensured that visibility translated into sales, while partnerships for product trials deepened consumer engagement. As the industry continues to evolve, the lessons from this initiative suggest that future campaigns should prioritize immersive, contextually relevant interactions to maintain momentum. Brands aiming to replicate this success might consider investing in data-driven targeting and multi-channel strategies to stay ahead. Ultimately, the path forward lies in building on such bold efforts, exploring new ways to integrate into consumer lives while pushing the boundaries of what advertising can achieve.
