In the world of vodka, launches often come dressed in sleek bottles and gilded packaging. Smirnoff, however, is making a different kind of statement this fall. The Diageo-owned brand has teamed up with pop icon Troye Sivan for a playful activation that takes the party off the screen and into the streets of Los Angeles. Just in time for International Vodka Day (October 4), the brand is inviting fans to literally hunt for the vibes.
A Chief Vibes OFFicer at Work
Troye Sivan’s role as Smirnoff’s Chief Vibes OFFicer (CVO) began in late 2024 as a multi-year partnership aimed at getting people together in the real world. Over the past year, he’s leaned into the role with tongue-in-cheek humor and a string of memorable activations: Smirnoff Club Rush afterparties in Melbourne and Sydney, a “Vibe Check” during World Pride Music Festival in Washington, D.C., and even faux “work memos” designed for Fridays.
The new campaign picks up that thread. In a short film released this week, viewers tour Smirnoff Vibes HQ, a sun-splashed coastal compound that doubles as the CVO’s office. There’s a temperature-controlled Smirnoff Ice room, a dimly lit breakout lounge, and a research staff more concerned with monitoring moods than spreadsheets. The satire works because it leans into the idea that vibes, like vodka, are a serious business.
From URL to IRL: The Briefcase Hunt
The centerpiece of the activation is the Smirnoff x Troye Sivan briefcase drop happening October 2 in Los Angeles. The city is home base for Sivan when he’s in the U.S., making it a natural stage. Fans 21 and older will need to decode cryptic clues from Troye, his crew, and Smirnoff’s official Instagram to find the cases. But here’s the twist: no one can claim a prize solo. To secure a briefcase, participants need to show up with friends—an intentional nudge to get plans out of the group chat and into the real world.
Inside the cases are prizes that include a personalized video from Sivan and a weekend getaway to Palm Springs, pitched as “CVO-mandated” R&R: sunshine, lo-fi playlists, and plenty of Smirnoff Ice.
A Year in Review
Stephanie Jacoby, SVP of Global Vodkas at Diageo, praised Sivan’s impact:
“Troye has done a fantastic job as our CVO over the past year and is really ramping up his action plan as we get closer to his annual performance review. This briefcase hunt brings the vibes from Vibes HQ straight to Los Angeles.”
Sivan himself framed it more casually:
“When I joined forces with Smirnoff last year it was to create special moments by getting people together. This briefcase drop is another way to invite people into the tongue-in-cheek world we’ve built together. I’m excited for what’s next.”
The Road Ahead
While the LA drop marks a high point, the CVO campaign is far from over. Smirnoff has confirmed that content tied to Vibes HQ—recipes, behind-the-scenes clips, photography—will roll out across social, digital, and OOH channels in key markets including the U.S., UK, Brazil, and Australia.
For Smirnoff, the message is clear: vodka doesn’t just live in bottles. It lives in the culture around them, in the people who gather to share it, and sometimes, in a briefcase waiting on a street corner in Los Angeles.
For more information, head over to the brand’s official website.
