Carling // Calm // proposed product range
‘Using the nations best loved Beer to start conversations about mens mental health. ’
Carling came to us with a question: How could we partner with Calm to encourage men to talk about mental health?
Of course, mental health and alcohol have a complicated history, and we couldn’t ignore that. But we also recognized the power of taking a mate for a pint and having a chat if he’s feeling a bit off. The pub is a place where men gather and talk. Sure, it’s usually about football or taking the piss, but it’s still a space where conversations happen.
Instead of creating a new brand, we decided to use that pint, can, or bottle of Carling as the starting point for a conversation.
We began by transforming CARLING into CARING. It’s intentionally a bit "naff"—we wanted to take a man’s pint and soften it. The idea was that people would take the piss out of it, because that’s what guys do... but it was also a clever way to get them to stop, look, and start a conversation about mental health.
Next, we focused on the tone of voice for CARING. It had to speak the way guys do. We know that when a man says, "Cheer up, you miserable prick," what he’s really saying is, “You alright, mate? You look a bit down.” It’s just that humor—often dark humor—is their way in.
We decided to use the space on the cans as conversation starters. Partnering with a selected group of illustrators known for using comedy and honesty to make serious points (think Mr. Bingo, David Shrigley, Modern Toss, etc.), we highlighted some of the issues that are known to affect men’s mental health. These became our awkward conversation starter cans.
We didn’t have a cure for mental health issues, but if we could get people talking—even just a little—that would be a win.
Next, it was about rolling the concept out everywhere you can have a drink with your mate—both off-trade and on-trade, including bar staff, as well as press and posters.
