2011 Winners & Shortlists

The Brief

In an environment already cluttered with Brand Audio Signatures, Batelco - Bahrain’s leading telecommunications company - wanted to create a new one of their own. For their Audio Signature to stand out, it didn’t just have to be heard, but loved.

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation

We composed a new Batelco Audio Signature. Using its melody, we composed five different tracks in popular genres. They became SuperSonic - the Batelco Audio CD,and sent to Bahraini DJs,who played them in nightclubs, restaurants and lounges. People soon requested the tracks. We gave the CDs to clubbers. The CDs promoted online pages where tracks were downloaded as songs and ringtones. Free copies of Batelco’s CD were placed in iPod powered kiosks at malls. A $2 donation to charity could also be made for the CD. Tracks were also used as call waiting tones for Batelco’s Call Center.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

In two weeks, over 100,000 SuperSonic CD’s had been distributed, of which 40,000 were paid for towards charity. It was played 44,000 times and downloaded 21,000 times online, and generated thousands of comments, Likes and Tweets. At Batelco’s Call Center, we turned 6000 daily calls to 6000 audio branding opportunities. Without one advertisement, SuperSonic resonated across Bahrain and Batelco became part of its urban culture. The tracks were heard all across Bahrain on car speakers, iPods, on mobile phones and in nightclubs. For the first time ever, an Audio Signature didn’t just move the people,it got them dancing.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

These CD’s targeted the youth of Bahrain, who are 65% of the population, in the environments where they traditionally spend most of their time. By turning the Batelco Audio Signature into a full length, funky track, we could expose the maximum amount of people to it in a non-advertising environment and allow it to seep into the airwaves naturally.