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Client: Ciroc Vodka
Creative Agency: Real Branding

This Rich Media expandable unit sought to maintain the brand's luxury credentials inherent in the "high-touch" visuals of the print campaign, while also driving Preference and Trial in the banner with browse-able and printable recipes. The website-in-a-banner concept allowed users to experience the brand without having to leave the site.

The media plan brought the Ciroc Vodka message to the users in contextually relevant placements by partnering with sites whose audience identified with luxurious and epicurean interests.
-- Alex Flores, senior account manager, Real Branding

I have to say, being from a winery family in Sonoma County, the thought of a vodka that was made from wine grapes was simply… appalling! On the other hand, one look at this banner has started to change my mind. The falling grape caught my attention as a banner should, and kept me interested by not revealing what the advertisement was about for the first few seconds. Was it water? A new grape energy drink? No wait… it's vodka? Vodka from grapes? Okay.. I’m intrigued.

The color choices conveyed all the appropriate feelings when thinking about vodka-- crisp, refreshing blues and whites make you thirsty and hint at the perfect satisfaction of that thirst. What better way than the drink recipes listed? The interactive rainbow of recipes at the bottom gives choices for any tastes; however, visually I would have avoided having the Ciroc logo image repeat three times for drinks that did not have an in-glass type presentation. Altogether, the ad works-- and I know what I’ll be trying for happy hour tonight!

(P.S.: Not to make a shameless plug for mobile marketing or anything... but why have a "print recipe" button when you could send the recipe directly to the phone that you will have with you at the bar?)
-- Aaron Watkins, creative lead / NW sales, ipsh!

Very pretty… which is really what differentiation in the vodka industry is about, isn't it? The animation is smooth and simple, and I like the "Look Inside" peel-back teaser as a device to get attention and entice users to interact with the unit. For a leaderboard though, the long intro animation doesn't really serve the unit. Users aren't on a publisher's site to watch the advertising (iMedia's Showcase excluded), and a slow sinking grape doesn't steal my eye from the publisher content I'm seeking out. If the unit had video of a grape sinking, or vodka swishing around… perhaps that would do it.

The design and functionality of the different tabs, especially the recipes tab, border on being perfectly ergonomic. I found myself browsing the recipes as soon as the unit unfolded, without having to scan the ad to understand its functionality. The ad has fluidity so that once engaged, I was fully immersed in it.

The only real problem is, I'm not a vodka drinker. I have friends who are though, and as I'm sure they'd be interested in a few chic recipes, I wish the unit allowed me to either email the recipes to a friend, or at least download them to send out myself. Printing cocktail recipes off the company computer, even if the company is an ad agency, just doesn't feel like the right place and time. That said, anyone know a good place to pick up some yuzu juice and a white orchid?
-- Bradley Werner, director of marketing, The Fifth Network