Tops at Spar reveals alcohol’s unpalatable aftertastes

One of the worst countries in the world for drink driving, South Africa clocks up an average of 1,500 deaths a month on its roads, 60 per cent of which are alcohol related. 

The #avoidtheaftertaste campaign was created by TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris Durban and includes three impactful films – Grief, Remorse and Eternal Mourning – directed by Marcelle Du Plessis through Motion/TBWA. 

Each film employs hard-hitting, symbolic imagery and eerie songs or commentary to depict the fatal ‘after effects’ of driving under the influence – the regrets of those involved and the pain of those left behind. 

As the country’s largest liquor retailer, the brand is keen to signal its support of responsible drinking, particularly since June last year when there were complaints about Tops ads making light of binge drinking. 

The TV trilogy is supported by social and in-store assets that include bottles of foul-tasting booze intended to give consumers a taste of the bitter aftertaste of drink driving.