Beer brand courts young drinkers with awareness campaign
China Daily
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"Smart Drinking, No Drink& Drive" campaign on the banks of Shanghai's Huangpu River. (Photos: China Daily)

Just before China's annual "9/9 National Philanthropy Day", international booze conglomerate, AB InBev celebrated the latest iteration of its "Smart Drinking, No Drink & Drive" campaign with a major gala on the banks of Shanghai's Huangpu River.

The drinks company took advantage of the philanthropic gathering to release its latest public-awareness animation, a hip-hop composition titled Never Drink and Drive, which was coproduced with the Forbidden City and stars Harbin Beer's Generation Z virtual mascot, Hajiang, as well as the brand's first nonalcoholic beer (NAB). The film seeks to address the country's fast-changing social landscape in which more young people are taking to the roads after enjoying a drink.

Described as a "multicultural hybrid", which mixes computer graphics and hip-hop with palace and period dramas, the film centers around Hajiang, with a thought-provoking plot constructed to appeal to China's rising Generation Z consumers.

In the story, Hajiang travels back in time and becomes a royal driver, where she guides the emperor using lessons learned by three of China's most famous historical figures from the once-glorious Tang Dynasty (618-907) who were undone by too much booze.

Legendary poet Li Bai, the always-gracious concubine Yang Yuhuan and high-ranking official He Zhizhang, all embarrassed themselves when over indulgence turned into social disaster. By revisiting these court-based calamities, Hajiang presents a lively lesson which makes the emperor agree to "never drink and drive", preventing a potential royal accident in the process. The plot has also been given a practical boost from the Shanghai Traffic Police, which send one of its top officers to co-star in the video, joining Hajiang in saving the emperor from drunken disaster and helping deliver the campaign's message with a humorous, yet official tone.

Frank Wang, vice-president of legal and corporate affairs at AB InBev APAC, said: "By retelling these stories, we want to illustrate that drunken driving can do more than just harm one's reputation, but can jeopardize one's life and that of others as well."

The company's new nonalcoholic beer also enjoys a star turn in the animated film, enriching the time-travel plot with a modern-day touch. Harbin NAB serves as not only Hajiang's safe, but indulgent solution to the emperor's thirst, but also as a call-to-action from AB InBev to its Gen Z customers to make smarter choices before getting behind the wheel.

Hajiang in ancient costume.

As the brand's first-of-its-kind offering in China, Harbin NAB comes with an eye-catching look that carries the rich cultural overtones from the campaign film. The can is designed with distinctive Chinese-style elements and colors - red palace walls, yellow dragon symbols, crimson royal seals, and the classic look of Hajiang in ancient costume and the imperially dressed emperor. There are even gift packs which include a royal edict, handwritten by His Majesty, that forbids all acts of drunken driving, as well as an ancient-style paper fan, a card case reminding drinkers to name a designated driver, and a range of no-drunken-driving-themed accessories, like adhesive tape and phone holder ring.

He Yong, deputy secretary-general of the China Alcoholic Drinks Association and secretary-general of the association's beer branch, offered his approval of such product-driven action: "As a trade association, we've always taken responsibility. Promoting smart drinking is never something that is easily achieved overnight, but requires unbending long-term commitment.

"We hope more industry players can also join AB InBev in taking part in this meaningful cause to promote smart drinking and social responsibility."

Immediately following her public debut at the gala, virtual character Hajiang expressed her wish to join Shanghai's volunteer team for promoting civilized traffic practices. Wang Liang, deputy chief of the Traffic Police General Brigade, under the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, welcomed the move: "Hajiang's involvement makes her our first-ever virtual volunteer. We'd like to thank AB InBev for its continuous, diversified attempts to fight drunken-driving, as well as its contribution to building a harmonious road traffic safety environment in Shanghai."

The drinks company also seeks to elevate its contribution to the "Traffic Safety Education and Promotion Program", an initiative directed by the Ministry of Public Security Traffic Management Bureau.

Partnering with the Forbidden City and the China Children's Press & Publication Group to design a palace-themed "traffic safety education magic box of special meanings", the kit is aimed at helping children and teenagers quickly get to grips with understanding road safety in a fun way.

The company is also teaming up with multiple partners, perhaps most notably, car-hailing platform Didi Chuxing.

In a bid to stop young revelers from driving, Didi Chuxing and Harbin Beer will jointly issue taxi coupons in more than 100 cities.

Wang Jing, secretary-general of the China Road Traffic Safety Association, said: "Only when we all jointly address drunken driving as a society can this illegal act be effectively reined in and related traffic accidents be effectively controlled."