2010 Winners & Shortlists

The Brief

The Economist tasked us with raising its profile, building the brand and increasing subscriptions across the Middle East. But we needed to do this all with a very small budget. And we were speaking to an audience that didn’t really know the brand. So we needed an idea that would appeal to a young, ambitious and affluent Arab target market - We created the strategic platform: ‘Join the global conversation’. Then we focused on getting our message to reach them where they spend most of their time.

Creative Execution

This locally tailored strategy worked extremely well. Not only did it give people something they hadn’t had before – access to free WiFi hotspots, but it spoke to them where they spend most of their time. In a word, it spoke to them intelligently. The Hotspots created valuable hubs where The Economist could interact directly with their target market. It allowed a one-on-one environment where the target market could get to know the brand, and learn more about it, in a way that a generic billboard simply couldn’t.

Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective.

We realised there were no free WiFi hotspots in Dubai. So we set-up a series of our own Economist WiFi Hotspots, partnering restaurant and coffee shop chains all over Dubai. Customers were given a code, and when they logged on, they were driven to the Economist website, before they could surf for free. We promoted these HotSpots successfully with a range of low-cost in-store media that customers could keep in their wallets, some traditional print and outdoor, and extensive PR.

Results

Thousands of people have logged on at WiFi Hotspots, taking their chance to truly ‘Join the global conversation’. Making it the perfect solution: Where the communication has actually delivered on the promise. The Hotspots have given The Economist an extremely valuable database to mine, in a region that before, had no real idea of its true target market. Sales of The Economist have also shot up: In June 2009, during the recession, The Economist Group recorded a 39% profit in the region. Thanks to the success of the strategy, we’re now planning to roll out WiFi Hotspots across the region.