“Never Say No to Panda” was created as a multi channel creative idea built behind the translation of “Taste Irresistibility” into a literal translation of “you can’t say no to Panda”. The creative idea centred around bringing the brand “Panda” to life in 5 TV executions that were created based on the success criteria of viral not TV, which necessitates highly engaging content, virally as the campaign was later launched online and became one of the biggest internet hits across the globe and in the real world via “Face to Face” encounter with our Panda in stores hunting those buying competing brands and giving those who refuse to change their decision a free sample, which they cant not say no to. Consumers were interacting with the brand on TV, on the web and in store in a way that was never been done before to the extent of them borrowing our Panda during Egypt’s revolution to in order to push former president Hosni Mubarak out of power.
Success of the Campaign
As per several 3rd party testimonies including Google Middle East, Tetra Pack (company that supplies ALL packing materials to ALL white cheese companies in Egypt), global media icons such as ''ABC News'' in the US, Sun & Guardian newspapers in UK & many others locally an internationally,’ Never Say No to PANDA'' was a global phenomena. it was watched by more than 28 million views on You Tube across the globe which is by far a new regional record for any kind of video out of the Middle East & has eared phenomenal free media in Egypt , regionally and across the globe. The client did not just take over market leadership for the first time in White Cheese category (as per tetra pack), but they were starting to be known globally with hundreds of purchase requests from different countries. Locally, Panda is now becoming one of Egypt’s true love marks.
Describe how the campaign/entry was launched and executed across each channel in the order of implementation.
“Never Say No to Panda” was planned to be in more than one consumer touch point through a well devised media plan making a well integrated form of advertising reaching different platform TV, Viral & In-store activation. It was first launched as TV Commercials in April 2010, few weeks later it was launched on the web, which created unprecedented buzz for any Egyptian & probably any Middle Eastern brand across the globe and created new awareness for Panda across the world for what was a local brand before. Once the excitement reached it’s peek, (after 6 months of launch in Nov 2010), consumers were literally dying to physically interact with their beloved character. It was time for Panda’s consumer edition, where those consumers, still saying “No” to Panda by buying competition brands were put into their worst fears, a face to face encounter with our Panda with one option offered, to switch to Panda!