Carling // Calm // proposed product range
‘Using the nations best loved Beer to start conversations about mens mental health. ’
Carling came with a question. How could we work with Calm to help to get men talking about mental health.
Obviously mental health and alcohol have a history, and you can’t try and hide that. But the power of taking your mate for a pint and chat if he’s feeling a bit off is an amazingly powerful tool. The pub is place where men to get together and talk. Yes usually it’s about football, or taking the piss… but its still a place where men talk.
Rather than inventing a new brand we wanted to use that pint, can or bottle of Carling and make it the start of a conversation…
We started by taking CARLING and turned it to CARING… this is deliberately a bit ‘naff’. We wanted take a mans pint and soften it - we liked the idea that people would take the piss out if it, it’s what guys do… but it was a great way to get them to look and start the conversation on mental health.
Next was the tone of voice for CARING. It had to talk like guys do we know that when a man says “Cheer up you miserable prick” he’s actually saying “you alright mate? You look a bit down” they just use humor and at times dark humor as a way in.
We wanted to use the space on the cans as conversation starts. Partnering with a selected group of illustrators who are know to use comedy and honesty to make a serious point (Mr.Bingo, David Shrigley Modern Toss etc.) we would highlight some of the issues know to have an effect on mens mental health. These were called awkward conversation starter cans… We didn’t have a cure for mens mental health… but if we could get people to talk even a little then that was a win.
It was then about rolling the idea into across, well anywhere you can have a drink with your mate. Off trade. On trade. Bar Staff. As well as press and posters.
