Vodka O, an Australian vodka producer, has been around for 15 years. And despite being awarded amongst the world’s best vodkas, they have struggled to topple the more established European and Russian brands when it comes to consumer preference.

Our task was two-fold. Firstly, carve out a unique position in the sophisticated and serious vodka category by creating a brand which resonates with the young (and young at heart). And secondly, give Vodka O a new voice, a new look and a new lease on life – in a uniquely Australian way.

As a rule, alcohol advertising follows a template; beautiful people, in exotic locations, drinking perfect drinks - and it doesn’t resonate. Especially amongst our target demographic of young Australians, where tolerance for this fantasy world is extremely low.

So we created a campaign entitled ‘O Yeah’ and launched it with a bold, illustrative look and a uniquely honest tone.

Our task was two-fold. Firstly, carve out a unique position in the sophisticated and serious vodka category by creating a brand which resonates with the young (and young at heart).

And secondly, give Vodka O a new voice, a new look and a new lease on life – in a uniquely Australian way.

When it came to designing the campaign for Vodka O, the answers were right there in the name or more specifically in the ‘O’. Each illustration was created in a circle motif derived from the ‘O’ - even the line ‘O Yeah’ echoed this strategy.

This simple framework meant we could explore, the weird, the wacky and the wonderful while still creating a unified campaign which has become the base for a completely new look for the brand.

And because this was the launch of the new-look Vodka O, we didn’t just make one ad, we made dozens and posted them across Australia’s cities, bars and venues.

As of January 2019, Vodka O has increased their market share to the detriment of the two biggest brands in the market (Absolut and Smirnoff) – particularly within independent retailers where they’ve seen 27% growth while Absolut and Smirnoff has declined by 3.7% and 3.9% respectively.