Cafe Au Lait
Start: 1990
Case story: The Swedish dairy industri had experienced a decrease in milk consumption for years. They expressed a wish to increase milk consumption in the younger generation.
By introducing a new way of drinking coffe in Sweden in 1985, milk consumption sky rocketed and restaurants and cafees were making extra profit on a new brand, despite that there was no actual product other than more milk...
How?
Well, instead of charging 12 SEK for a regular cup of coffee and 0% or maybe 2% cream, they could now charge 20-25 SEK for a cup with 40% coffee and 60% milk.
Spectacular launch
The launch in 1985 was unique and spectacular. The "world famous" luxury Café Gateau in central Stockholm invited Monsieur Lucien Desmet, the most distinguished waiter from Brasserie Lipp in Paris, to serve Sweden's first real Cafe Au Lait in front of distinguished guests and media. And they loved it.
The cup was the media
Almost no traditional media was used to market the brand. The specially designed cups with the brand printed on them were already purchased by the coffe shops and restaurants and placed "everywhere" where there was coffee sold in Sweden.
The cup was an obvious success for the outreach and awareness of the brand. A total of 300.000 cups were sold to coffee shops and restaurants in Sweden during the first five years.
Awarded "World's best Dairy Campaign"
In 1992, the Cafe Au Lait campaign was awarded the World's Best Dairy Campaign by the International Dairy Federation. This was the second time "we" at Carlsson&Broman DDBNeedham were awarded that distinguished recognition. The first time "we" won was for the Milk Energy campaign in 1990. The reason we won twice was that these two were considered creative 360-integration campaigns – at the time considered a new way of building brands – long before the concept of 360 marketing was acknowledged by our own industry.
I was introduced to the Cafe Au Lait account in 1990. Years after it was initially created and introduced to the market by the creative team at Carlsson&Broman. So, I am not trying to take any credit for the original idea. However, I was fortunate to be appointed project manager for this successful campaign during my years at the agency and within the DDB Needham network of 50 agencies around the world. An experience I am truly grateful for, and that shaped my views and perspectives on brands on a global scale.
Wide outreach based on the cup – art, freestyle skiing, boule tour, and festivals...
Using art, cups, events, and festivals as channels instead of only ads impressed our DDBN CEO, Keith Reinhard. He sent me around to the big agencies in the network to describe the successful 360-degree campaigns we created over here in little Stockholm.
But...I am happy to say that I can take credit for the making of the Cafe Au Lait hat – bringing smiles to people everywhere they were seen. We produced one for a summer "boule campaign" and a warm winter version used for events and campaigns up in Swedish ski resorts, which had been successful sampling activities and we kept alive together with local dairies, restaurants, and cafes.
Jean Philippe visiting the agency.
During my years with the agency (1990-93) the Swedish dairy industry continued to invest in the building of the brand, and for the last campaign we focused on art – inviting the young artist Jean Philippe Delhomme from Paris to interpret the cup freely, and make posters and animated commercials for TV and cinemas.
Creds:
Client: Malou Öhrner, Bo Forsling and AnnSofi Nyström
Brand management: Lars Börje Carlsson
Creative team: Lars Börje Carlsson, Bo Sundin
Project manager 1984-1989: Inger Söderholm
Project manager 1990-1993: B Bertoft