Time To Open Up About Icing

I wanted to wait a while before addressing the 'bros icing bros' phenomenon because to be honest, I wasn't sure how I felt about it.  My inner bro who loves any excuse for drinking and public humiliation thought 'Wow, who can I ice this minute!' was dominated by my advertising pysche who can sense blatant marketing schemes and thought 'Smirnoff is totally behind this!'... but after watching how things unfolded, I have made up my mind:

'Bros Icing Bros' IS AN AWESOME GAME and major bro props to the founders of 'Bros Icing Bros' for creating an accidental marketing phenomenon, something that has been long overdue in this industry.  I am happy that some bored college student made moves to stir things up, but a sad week for all, as Diageo, the parent company of Smirnoff, has forced the 'Bros Icing Bros' site to shutdown.

Reasons why this was NOT a smart move:

1. Search volume for Smirnoff has increased as a result of 'Bros Icing Bros'.  Increased curiosity and interest in your brand is invaluable.  Silly Smirnoff for shunning the phenomenon.

2. Photo taking concept lives beyond a website and is taken viral with Twitter and Facebook.  Power in numbers, especially numbers of Bros.  Once your homepage or wall is showered with photos of ices, you know its about time to avoid your friends or have an Ice ready on you (JESS SCOTT I'M ON TO YOU).

Photo Courtesy of Jessica Scott, probably the most avid Icer I know

Photo Courtesy of Larissa Hayden, probably the second most avid Icer I know

3. My boyfriend, the biggest hater of all things hatable, has adopted Icing as a way of life.  Schemes and elaborate plans involving icing underwater, at a wedding rehearsal dinner, etc. has got me believing that 'icing' is surely a phenomenon of epic proportions.  

In the end, the creators of 'Bro Icing Bros' has changed the perception that Smirnoff Ice is no longer the gateway drink for underage girls or choice drink for French dudes but the ultimate humiliation for the machoest men out there.  Smirnoff should be thanking the 'bros' for the recent skyrocket in sales and for reviving the brand in the best way possible.