Hapiness Brussels and Bru Mineral Water present Bru Social Plates

Cristina Blanaru Ads, Creativity

While 69% of us can’t resist ‘foodstragramming’ the perfect photo of a meal, this trend often occurs at the expense of both the dining companions at the table and the other diners – which is why 82% of us find it annoying.That’s why Bru mineral water decided to create the Bru Social Plates. These plates have a mission – to remind diners to enjoy the food, but more importantly, each other’s company.

The handmade plates feature a delicate pattern that hides a secret: a QR code that sends a message to everyone who takes photos of their food, directly within the camera screen of the smartphone.

Just pointing a mobile phone camera at the plate reveals the message from Bru in the screen:  ‘Nice photo! But don’t forget to enjoy your dining companions as well.’

The Bru Social Plates were conceived and designed ​​by creative connectivity agency Happiness Brussels, an FCB Alliance,  and are handmade by the ceramic designer Martine Keirsebilck.  The power of this campaign comes from the simplicity of using the inbuilt built-in QR reader that comes as standard on most phones since 2017 – no apps or downloads needed.

The sparkling water Bru launched the ‘Bru Table Mode’ movement in September 2018. An incentive to push the smartphone aside at the table, so that restaurant visitors can fully focus on each other. The campaign was immediately supported by various restaurants across Belgium, and you can easily recognize them by the sticker on the front door: ‘This restaurant is in Bru Table Mode’.

In October, Bru and chef Tom van Lysebettens from the Ghent restaurant ‘Cochon de Luxe’ went one step further and created the ‘Bru Table Mode Menu’. This 8-course menu came specially plated –  on the back of your smartphone.

The Bru Social Plates are available for restaurants and individuals on bru.be. The first registrations will receive the plates for free and over 150 restaurants requested them in the 3 days following launch.

Credits:

  • Agency : Happiness, an FCB alliance
  • Client : Bru
  • Contacts : Charlotte Giroud, Ann-Sophie Parmentier
  • Executive Creative Management : Karen Corrigan
  • Chief Creative Officer : Geoffrey Hantson
  • Creative Director : Katrien Bottez
  • Concept Developers : Toon Vanpoucke, Morgane Choppinet
  • Copy Fr : Alice Amant, Catherine Quadens
  • Account Team : Nathalie Marchand, Camille Martin-Schmets, Amandine Donckers
  • Agency Producer : Sophie Gunsbourg
  • Editing: Simon Schuurman
  • Director of photography : Kassim Olivier
  • Director: Kassim Olivier
  • Design : Dries Lauwers, Lisa Leloux
  • DTP : Kassandra Donia
  • Retoucher : Xavier Dockx

Happiness, an FCB alliance, is a creative connectivity agency based in Brussels, Belgium, and Saigon, Vietnam. The agency is well known to design-connected brands that trigger emotions that trigger business. The very multicultural crew of Happiness have won numerous awards, including Grand Prix at Cannes Lions and Eurobest. Some of their work is even featured in the V&A Museum, London. The agency believes in the power of creativity, the power of humanity, and in happiness, that fuels both. Happiness Brussels currently works for Quick (Burger King), VOO (one of Belgium’s biggest telco companies), Toyota, Tuborg, Parents of Road Victims, 2dehands.be (Belgium’s biggest classified ads platform), DVV Insurances, NIVEA, Labello, Hansaplast, Eucerin, Somersby and Carlsberg.