What consumer would single-handedly buy 100,000 cases of wine, even if there were a juicy reward waiting at the end? Probably no one.
But what if that gift were a randomly-selected venomous snake? Still, no one?
The intentionally ridiculous scenario sets up the latest campaign for Archer Roose, a premium canned wine brand that added Hollywood multi-hyphenate star, Elizabeth Banks as co-owner and chief creative officer last year.
In a series of social media teasers and short videos that started dropping around Valentine’s Day, Banks first delivered the news of the live snake giveaway for any oenophile that reached the lofty 100,000 purchase mark.
Shortly after, a contrite Banks walked the offer back because she said it was deemed “legally misinformed” and “in violation of most state and federal regulations.”
“We should not be mailing poisonous snakes—we know that now,” Banks said in a mock-serious vignette where her on-screen title reads, “Former rewards program manager.”
“We apologize for the inconvenience and also the snakes.”
Slithering away from convention
The work comes from Colossus, agency of record for Archer Roose, where creatives wanted to stand out from the “forgettable white noise” of dime-a-dozen rewards programs. The goal was also to poke fun at celebrity endorser tropes and tired customer relationship management tactics.
“Every brand seemingly has a rewards program—so how do you make them interesting?” Greg Almeida, executive creative director at Colossus, said in a statement. “Easy. Have Elizabeth Banks mail people poisonous snakes.”
Full disclosure: no snakes or wine drinkers were harmed in this stunt. And the real rewards program promises to be “reptile-free” and somewhat more conventional in its perks, like exclusive merchandise, cash back toward future purchases and early access to limited-edition wine.
The prank, which eventually included more than two dozen pieces of content, started with a cryptic message and a toll-free hotline using the number 1-855-3SNAKES.
It progressed to a video of Banks, with no dialogue, smiling and displaying a colorful snake with Vanna White-style hand motions. The caption read, “Become a snake owner.” Another vignette featured the actor-writer-director-producer modeling a live snake and shilling for the rewards program by saying, “Because we believe wine can make the world a better place. And you deserve the snake of your dreams.”
Banks promoted the faux program to her 5.6 million social followers, blurring the line between reality and fiction.
The campaign is part of the brand’s mission to democratize wine and speak directly to consumers in a “weird and wacky” way, according to Marian Leitner-Waldman, founder and CEO.
“Humor forges that connection,” Leitner-Waldman said in a statement. “And to us, it’s an invitation to have a deeper relationship, which is fundamentally what a rewards program is all about.”
“Snake Rewards” is a follow-up to last summer’s launch party for Archer Roose and the first work from Colossus called “Uninvited Guest.” It starred Banks as the houseguest from hell who had embedded herself into Leitner-Waldman’s life.
