NORWALK, Conn., April 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Diageo, a
global leader in beverage alcohol, today introduced a new virtual
reality (VR) experience that will immerse consumers in a
first-person, interactive story about the dangers of binge
drinking. Diageo is committed to encourage consumers to drink
better, not more, and to reduce harmful drinking. "Decisions:
Party's Over" seeks to reduce binge drinking through innovative
technology.
The launch follows Diageo's successful 2016 launch of
"Decisions," a first-of-its-kind 360° experience that placed
consumers in the front seat of a fatal drunk driving crash and
accumulated almost 14 million views. The experience had a
significant impact on consumer perceptions with 73 percent of
viewers surveyed after watching the film saying they were more
likely to stop other people from drinking and driving, and 75
percent of viewers saying they would prevent drinking and driving
by planning ahead with a designated driver.
"Decisions: Party's Over" continues the series with an
innovative take on virtual reality, allowing consumers to interact
with the story – toggling between four different points of view –
as they experience each of the characters' perspectives. This
latest initiative has once again been spearheaded by Diageo's
Digital and Technology Partnerships teams. Joining Diageo in the
effort is Jaunt, the immersive cinematic experience company, who
helped with the creative vision, production, development and
distribution of the experience.
"We're excited to be a part of 'Decisions: Party's Over,' the
latest installment in Diageo's virtual reality film series and
offer our technology to bring the content to life," said
Tom Vance, Jaunt's Co-Head of
Studio. "Binge drinking can have very serious consequences, and by
combining our tools with Diageo's creative vision, we are able to
create an experience that will leave a lasting impact on consumers
as they navigate decisions in their lives around drinking
responsibly."
The stories of each character unfold as the viewer steps into
their point of view and experiences the party from a first-person
perspective, following along with how much alcohol each is
consuming at the party as the night goes on. What differentiates
this virtual reality film from another is the use of interactive
synchronous storylines. Each storyline is perfectly timed so that
viewers watching in the Jaunt application on GearVR or Oculus Rift
can dynamically switch between character points of view for varying
perspectives and consequences throughout the experience.
Binge drinking is defined as five or more drinks for men and
four or more drinks for women on a single occasion, and is
associated with a range of risks such as loss of inhibitions,
confused or abnormal thinking and poor decision-making. With the
purpose of showing the repercussions of binge drinking, "Decisions:
Party's Over" follows the journeys of four different partygoers.
One character (Steph) throws a going away party for another
character (Greg) to celebrate his upcoming move. His reckless
drinking, however, throughout the evening ends in a fatal case of
alcohol poisoning. Another character (Jasmine) is sexually
assaulted by a fellow partygoer (Luke) – binge drinking playing its
part in an all too common crime. The stories overlap and play out
throughout the night as the viewer witnesses the consequences of
binge drinking firsthand.
"We're continuing to use virtual reality technology for social
responsibility initiatives because the immersive experience brings
to life the terrifying realities and dangers associated with binge
drinking," said James Thompson,
Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer, Diageo North America.
"While drunk driving and underage drinking are at historic lows,
binge drinking rates have remained stable. Diageo has long been
recognized as an industry leader in responsible drinking
programming, and our hope is to build on our previous successes
with virtual reality to reach our audience on an emotional level
and prevent future detrimental impaired decisions associated with
binge drinking."
Diageo continues to look for new and inventive ways to reach
consumers via emerging platforms and technologies like the latest
installment in its ongoing virtual reality series. Diageo also
created DRINKiQ, a website specifically created to cover all
aspects of alcohol and give consumers the tools to make more
informed choices about drinking, including the decision not to
drink. In addition to releasing the virtual reality film, Diageo
put together a discussion guide, which will be available on the
DRINKiQ site for educators, parents and consumers.
Consumers can access the interactive VR version of "Decisions:
Party's Over" through the Jaunt App in the Oculus Store, both on
Oculus Rift and GearVR or view in VR through the Jaunt App
supported on iOs, Android, Playstation VR, Google Daydream, Windows
Mixed Reality, HTC Vive and all desktop browsers. Consumers can
also visit bingedrinkingvr.com and watch the non-interactive
version in 360 on their mobile phone.
About Diageo
Diageo is a global leader in beverage
alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including
Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit
and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas,
Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio,
Tanqueray and Guinness.
Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and
the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more
than 180 countries around the world. For more information about
Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at
www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking
resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways
to share best practice.
Follow us on Twitter for news and information about Diageo North
America: @Diageo_NA.
Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.
Media Contact: Jessie Mann, jmann@taylorstrategy.com,
704-957-8934
View original content with
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/diageo-gives-consumers-a-first-person-perspective-of-binge-drinking-tragedies-in-groundbreaking-virtual-reality-series-300635482.html
SOURCE Diageo