Objective

Awareness of recommended guidelines for weekly alcohol consumption remains low. Recent research from the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland revealed that only 32% of drinkers could correctly identify the recommended maximum weekly alcohol intake, with confusion persisting around the strength of different drinks.

'Made to be Measured' is a three-year behaviour change campaign by the Scotch Whisky Association, marking its first-ever consumer-facing initiative. The campaign aims to promote responsible consumption, encourage awareness of alcohol content, and highlight the importance of measuring drinks at home. It positions Scotch whisky as a product to be savoured, while also raising awareness of the Scottish Chief Medical Officer's low-risk drinking guidelines.

Strategy

In response to a competitive pitch, ‘Made to be Measured’, was designed to resonate with the ethos of Scotch Whisky’s craftsmanship and drive awareness of alcohol unit consumption in a way that was meaningful to consumers. The concept emphasised the careful measure of time it takes to create whisky, while subtly integrating the message around responsible drinking and unit consumption. 

Initially, the brief was broad, covering all individuals over legal purchasing age (18+) in Scotland. However, through in-depth audience analysis conducted using YouGov and GWI data, we strategically refined our target to a more precise group where alcohol unit awareness was notably lower: adults aged 25-55. This age bracket, which we identified through data insights, provided an opportunity to deliver the message with greater relevance. 

By examining consumer behaviours and media consumption trends, we selected digital platforms that over-indexed against this audience, ensuring that our campaign met people where they naturally engaged. This insight-led approach set the foundation for a highly focused, multi-channel digital media plan that would maximise reach and impact. 

The campaign deployed a carefully curated mix of paid social media (Meta ads), programmatic display, and digital audio.  

Each channel was chosen to drive targeted engagement and amplify awareness: 

• Paid Social Media (Meta): We utilised Facebook and Instagram to drive both engagement and click-throughs to the campaign website. Meta’s powerful targeting tools allowed us to reach the specific 25-55 age group across Scotland, using first- and third-party data to deliver ads to whisky drinkers and alcohol consumers. This approach boosted both campaign visibility and interaction, resulting in meaningful engagement with our core messages. 

• Programmatic Display: We used first- and third-party data to serve display ads programmatically, targeting specific audiences identified through behaviour and location. This allowed for a granular approach, delivering tailored messages to consumers with a higher propensity for whisky consumption and lower alcohol unit awareness. 

• Digital Audio (Spotify, Bauer In-Stream, Global DAX): A 30-second audio ad was aired across Spotify, Bauer In-Stream, and Global DAX platforms. Digital audio was an essential part of our strategy, offering the ability to target listeners based on demographics, listening behaviour, and geographic location. These platforms were selected due to their strong reach and engagement rates among the 25-55 demographic, amplifying mass awareness with precision. 

• Influencer Engagement and PR Support: To deepen the campaign’s impact, we partnered with influencers Rona McMillan and Howey Ejegi, whose content naturally aligned with travel, lifestyle, and responsible drinking themes. Through Instagram reels, stories, and posts, they conveyed our core messages, sparking conversations with their followers around responsible drinking. 

• Toolkit: Additionally, we leveraged the Scotch Whisky Association’s extensive member network, distributing a member toolkit to help amplify the campaign across individual whisky brands, further extending our message. 

Through this strategically layered approach, we effectively reached our target audience, raised awareness, and drove meaningful engagement around responsible drinking. 

Results

In 2023 (Year 1), the campaign achieved significant visibility, positioning the Scotch Whisky Association as a leader in responsible drinking.

• We delivered 5,470,684 paid media impressions, exceeding initial KPI by 110.52%. The campaign's cumulative reach among Scots aged 25-55 was 1,484,105, surpassing expectations by 148.4%.
• Digital ads achieved a 6.25% engagement rate, well above the industry benchmark of 3-4%, reflecting the effectiveness of our content. Ads maintained a high-quality ranking, optimising CPM and media spend.
• Influencer collaborations generated 64,000+ impressions and 2,100+ engagements, with a 3.28% engagement rate, sparking meaningful conversations about responsible drinking.
• The campaign earned 81.5K Article Coverage Views, increasing earned media exposure.
• Website engagement was strong, with 5,913 unique users visiting the ‘Made to be Measured’ website via ads, demonstrating high interest in responsible drinking.

Post-campaign research (by Jump Research) showed:

• 40% recall of the campaign, with frequent drinkers reporting the highest recall.
• 65% found the content interesting, and 56% recognised themselves as the target audience.
• Nearly 90% of viewers took action, and two-thirds intended to act in the future.

“I think it's got a good kind of no-nonsense, informative style, the carousel having comparatives between other alcohol I think is also quite useful. Like all the information you really need is in the ad.” – research respondent.

Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf noted:

“The whisky industry’s willingness to raise awareness of alcohol misuse and the health risks associated with high consumption of alcohol, through the Scotch Whisky Association’s ‘Made to Be Measured’ campaign, is very welcome”. 

Media