IQ→RUSET

Young people today drink less alcohol than those in past generations – a fact very few of them are aware of as alcohol is still associated with being cool. But by spreading awareness of the new norm, IQ hopes that more people will identify with the positive trend and feel empowered to turn down or make more conscious decisions when it comes to alcohol. Which, in turn, would only further strengthen this societal change.

Meanwhile, a majority of this age group spends hours each day on TikTok. An entertainment platform that satisfies their need to be entertained and, as recent research has found, their primary purpose for using social media in the first place. So, to reach this trend sensitive, ad-fatigued and entertainment-craving audience, we decided to convey our message through a drama series. On the platform where they all already exist.

Ruset, Sweden’s first drama series on TikTok, came to life. A 10-part series about a young girl’s secret infatuation for her best friend, and the sudden need to decide whether or not to confess her secret. A piece of fiction that explores complex alcohol-related topics of peer pressure, feelings of worry and how to reflect on your own drinking behaviors.

Our campaign started with an activation where we invited the target audience to audition for one of the lead roles in the series. This was done exclusively on TikTok, where users were instructed to ‘duet’ IQ’s casting videos and read lines from the actual script, side by side with traditionally cast professional actors. The massive engagement received set the tone for the remainder of our campaign, with media coverage in print, online, on TV, radio and on TikTok spanning the entire six months between the casting activation and the series' premiere.

The premiere included an exclusive press and creator’s event, as well as a nationwide campaign in metro stations, malls, universities, OLV and on social media. Each day, a new episode was released on TikTok. The episodes continued for ten consecutive days alongside reflective, in-depth content and short, to the point outtakes. All in all, making the launch on TikTok a unique combination of suspenseful, heart-wrenching drama and content breaking the fourth wall – where the actors delve into all nuances of the series' themes.