‘Keeping Barnaby Upright’ Hypnosis and Lightning Minds take out cheeky billboard in Canberra
After news and video dropped of former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce appearing to have drunkenly fallen off a planter on Lonsdale Street in Canberra, Hypnosis Creative Agency and Lightning Minds, a non-alcoholic beer brand, saw a flat-out great opportunity.
Within hours of the footage being released, Hypnosis had booked a mobile billboard to drive to Parliament House with a message for the Honourable Mr Joyce. As the truck made its way through the capital a Network 10 film crew hailed it down to capture footage which later appeared on The Sunday Project.
Joyce was filmed horizontal and muttering obscene nothings into his phone after Parliament wrapped on Wednesday night. While some Nationals members insisted he was “clearly unwell”, Hypnosis, Lightning Minds and the rest of Australia had a sneaky suspicion there might have been something else at play. While the non-alc lifestyle may seem entirely foreign to Barnaby, it’s not to Michael Payne, who started Lightning Minds in 2020 after noticing the positive balance that going non-alc had on his life.
Hypnosis Co-founder and Executive Creative Director, Guy Patrick, said: “Most Australians saw the footage of Mr Joyce appearing to be under the influence, and immediately thought of occasions when they themselves had had a few too many drinks. You could feel the entire country shrink into itself with communal empathy for the poor old boy. So we thought we’d offer a simple solution to Barnaby and the rest of Australia.”
Hypnosis Co-founder and Managing Director, Amber Martin, said: “It is critical for agencies to be paying close attention to what’s happening in the world. In this case it was a quick reaction to a fleeting moment in politics but thinking broader we have to have to be plugged into culture, new technologies and trends.”
Lightning Minds is one of the most exciting non-alc beers in Australia, available in over 130 stockists and growing. And with a capital raise on the horizon, they could soon be available in Canberra, where it seems they are most needed.
10 Comments
I know I’m going to be on the outside here and the awards this is going to pick up will prove me to be in minority, but this makes me very uncomfortable.
As someone who has had more than my share of problems with alcohol, I’m not sure that shaming and seeking to embarrass an individual for their issues with booze is a bad look. I think whoever filmed the Joyce thing is the one we should be castigating here. Was more concerned with humiliating a drunk than rendering assistance. I passionately hate everything Barnaby stands for, but I hope that I would have the moral fortitude to do the right thing in this situation.
And I think a supposedly ethical brand like Lightning Minds claims to be would be above a stunt like this. Sorry, it’s great creative that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Heaps Normal it is for me.
Every sound strategy leaves room for creative opportunism. But that’s what’s missing here. To literally kick a man while he’s down flies on the face of everything I thought Michael Payne stood for.
This is a pot shot on a man who is going through severe alcoholism… Politics aside, not sure a brand should stand for piling onto someone like this. Agree with @There but for the grace…
Surely whomever filmed Barnaby did the nation a great favour in further clarifying his character and nature? He was in this state coming straight from his workplace.
Parliament House is one of the few workplaces with a permanently open taxpayer funded drink yourself as much as you’d like policy…thanks to whomever brings publicity and attention to this rort.
I too feel conflicted by this idea. As a marketing bod, I find it funny, responsive and it certainly demonstrates the agency’s ability to make things happen in a hurry. But as someone who is well acquainted with alcoholism, I can recognise that Joyce’s behaviour was a symptom of a disease. It’s behaviour that he must be accountable for, but it feels wrong for a brand to kick someone while they’re down, even if he is an awful person/politician.
What an interesting discussion to be having on Campaign Brief. Appreciate all your perspectives. I have been considering if I should respond or not but I felt it was important to share our perspective.
This idea came from the core belief of Lightning Minds ‘Create a positive balance with alcohol’. The brand was started by Michael Payne who had a tricky relationship with booze and wanted to give Australians who are ditching the drink entirely or taking a breather mid-session, a product to help strike that balance.
We wanted to be reactive and have a POV on this moment that was clearly going to be talked about. So bringing the product into the conversation reminding people of an alternative felt like a legitimate brand role. And we wanted to do it in a light hearted way. There was not meant to be any malice, just a bit of cheek. And we think we walked that line. We also believe that politicians should be held to a higher standard.
Amber – MD Hypnosis.
It’s a worry to see how many people have made the assumption that Barnaby suffers from alcoholism, just because a few Murdoch articles used the word to describe the situation. His behaviour was a result of mixing medication with alcohol, something he is wise enough to be held accountable for.
This isn’t a repeat incident, it’s a first. He is often shot with a beer in hand yes, but that’s a result of the somehow acceptable Larrikinisms within our culture, which Lightning Minds challenges (you don’t have to be drunk to have a good time). Also, politicians ABSOLUTELY should be scrutinised!
As someone who’s life has been majorly impacted by alcoholism, it pains me to see people mislabelling this incident as such. It makes the actual issue of alcoholism harder to fight.
Thanks for responding with candour Amber. It is a fine line. I agree, pollies should be held to a higher standard, but this guy’s standards are well-known to be seriously low (pavement level?). I detest him as a politician, he’s said and done disgusting things and has no interest in furthering this country. It’s strange though, how it’s ok for satirists like The Chaser to have a go, but when a brand does it, people get upset. The only person who has the right to be upset though, is Joyce, and honestly, he wouldn’t give a shit. People have said far worse things about him for decades and it clearly makes no difference.
Alcoholism, mixing alcohol with prescription drugs, why does it matter? The brand has jumped on someone at their lowest point. Does it feel proud of itself for that, for capitalising on someone’s misfortune even if it was mistakenly self inflicted? Don’t make people’s assumptions (right or wrong) fall guy. Dodgy brand governance should be.
Lighten Up peeps.