In mid 2013 I left Ogilvy, my work home of ten years, to run the Vodacom account at sister agency, Ireland-Davenport. For me, it was a whole new world of mobile tech, crazy deadlines, sleepless nights, massive presentations and helping to steer a huge team of partner agencies (and client departments) on a single course.
Synopsis - ‘Best Network for Smartphones’
Vodacom had been voted the best network for smart phones.(Bustech) They needed to take ownership of this accolade in a way that built brand -love and affinity. This fully integrated campaign launched with a charming story of a baby who couldn’t hide his frustration when his favourite online film was interrupted by buffering. When it’s replaced with a phone on the Vodacom network, he was much happier.
The campaign was launched online and in broadcast simultaneously, and was supported by nationwide OOH, radio across all 11 languages, display & social media.
Result
Campaign took the no.1 best-loved campaign spot of 2013, in a Millward Brown poll. It was also sold within the Vodafone group and re-shot in 5 other Vodafone regions.
The baby become central to an on-going campaign to build the ‘best network for smart phones’ attribute.
Vodacom baby dancing to single ladies
The little guy in the first commercial was so well loved (even stopped and asked for selfies, his father told us) that we had to do a follow-up commercial.
Vodacom 'Give A Happy' Summer Campaign
Synopsis
In 2013, for the first time, South Africans were able to gift others using their cellphones. This meant you could gift data, smses, talk time, food and music vouchers to people who lived far away. This is a big deal in SA where families live far apart.
Relevance
The campaign didn’t just tap into a relevant & timeous truth, it solved a real challenge in an interesting way.
Execution
This was a broad-scale integrated campaign.
Objectives were achieved through 2 Christmas brand films and 15-second educational stings launched as tv and online, regional and national radio, PR and a national influencer campaign, social media, extensive OOH and an activation during the Soweto Derby - the climax of the soccer year in SA.
My role as lead creative was to co-ordinate and manage production and the seamless application of multi-channel messaging along with partner agencies.
Result
The Summer Campaign 2013 reached target within the first two weeks of the campaign period. Vodacom does not disclose the results of specific campaigns publicly, it was lauded as the most successful campaign of the previous 3 years.
Vodacom Summer 2015 Campaign
The 2015 Summer Integrated campaign was kicked off by another charming South African story to demonstrate the benefit of ‘SA’s Best Network’
‘Pastor’ garnered the MB’s #2 Best-loved commercial and the full integrated campaign won a Vodafone RED award given to the most successful campaigns of the year, globally.
Campaign launched with a 45 minute brand film (broadcast & online), OOH, display & social in which we auctioned the wedding dress from the commercial and gave one happy couple a dream wedding - see clip below, national radio and activations.
Summer Celebrations with Vodacom | FULL INSERT
The Summer Integrated campaign centred around the story of a South African wedding. The couple in the commercial was a real couple and their story was leveraged as additional content. The wedding dress was designed by Johan-Gert Coetzee, one of the countries hottest designers, and was given away to a lucky bride-to-be after a large-scale nationwide competition.