The Smirnoff Guardians initiative is a social media solution to drinking and driving that allows people to pay for friend's cab rides home when they get too tipsy to make that call for themselves.
Developed by Brian G. Cheung and Vanessa Krchova, both from the Miami Ad School, the concept would integrate a 'safe ride' option onto Facebook that would operate in a similar way to the like and comment features already on the site. When a user 'checks in' to a bar or club, one of their friends could then virtually pay for their cab ride to ensure that they get home in one piece.
The drinker would get a message via text with a code attached to redeem with participating cab companies. The 'guardian' receives points for each ride they cover, which would then be redeemable for free admittance to clubs or allow for a Smirnoff drink to be named after them.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Social Media Integration
- Opportunity for businesses to integrate social media features into their platforms to provide innovative solutions.
- Safe Ride Initiatives
- Growth of services and technologies aimed at providing safe transportation options for individuals who have been drinking.
- Incentivized Rewards Programs
- Implementation of reward systems to encourage user participation and engagement in safety-related initiatives.
Where This Applies
- Ride-hailing Services
- Ride-hailing services can explore integrating safe ride options within their apps to increase user safety.
- Social Media Platforms
- Social media platforms could implement similar features to Smirnoff Guardians to promote responsible drinking.
- Alcohol and Beverage Industry
- Alcohol brands can collaborate with cab companies to create partnerships that offer discounted rides for their customers.
