NO REGRETS for Amstel Light viral campaign
Amstel Light proved its worth as a light beer with personality when it featured women who fall far short of traditional
beauty in a highly successful Christmas viral campaign.
The humorous viral campaign was titled ‘Amstel Light - NO REGRETS’ and poked fun at the misdemeanours that people can
commit during their office Christmas parties. Exaggeratedly ‘ugly’ women were featured in the viral to show that with
Amstel Light, office Christmas party goers can avoid potentially embarrassing antics that can put careers and
reputations in jeopardy e.g. snogging the office receptionist or worse, the boss.
Targeted at primarily male white collar professionals, the Amstel Light campaign was emailed out in December 2005 to
more than 200 firms in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The first 100 recipients to respond to the email won a
case of Amstel Light for their office.
Winston Seow, brand manager for Amstel Light says: “We wanted to move away from promoting the typical serious aspects
that accompany light beer. People who drink light beer in New Zealand are often misinterpreted as ‘soft’ so we wanted to
create a promotion that would make people chuckle and realise that a premium light beer does have a valid place in the
market.”
The campaign succeeded in generating exposure for Amstel Light in New Zealand and even reached countries further afield
such as Ireland, the United States, Australia and South Africa.
Nationally, the redemption rate from the initial database came in at 13% however Amstel Light also received more than
300 emails from respondents who were not on the initial database.
Mr Seow is rapt with the response from the public and the awareness the viral generated.
“The redemption rate was fantastic when you consider that the average redemption rate for traditional coupons is around
two per cent. The bonus was the viral being forwarded by recipients in the database to so many others – it was still
doing the rounds nearly four weeks after we sent it out!
“We are thrilled that Amstel Light was able to reach so many people and got such a positive response during a time that
is traditionally dominated by more full strength beers,” says Mr Seow.
Responding emails from the public were just as amusing. One Wellington-based company emailed back with the following:
“Amstel Light, please save us from the horrors of the receptionist known as Trash Toni. I have only one arm left and I
want to keep it.”