2011 Winners & Shortlists

The Brief

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications company, wanted to announce to all their broadband subscribers across five packages, that their package had been automatically upgraded. Our insight was that on different occasions, people collectively write personal messages on cards to express their sentiments and affection. We created seven congratulatory cards, specifically designed to look exactly like clichéd store-bought cards - complete with a fictional greeting card company logo... just as if someone from Batelco had gone out of their way to buy the greeting card from a gift shop.

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation

The challenge was now to personalize 62,000 cards with real, heartfelt messages of congratulations. But we had to make it believable. To ensure that people knew that their cards had not been churned out of a copier, they had to witness the event. So we invited them to watch the signing streamed live on Batelco’s website. And over the course of one weekend, we got Batelco employees to personally fill every card with congratulatory messages, seal every envelope and write every address – all by hand.

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

No other company had ever written that many personalised cards to such a large group of people. Subscribers felt valued, special and appreciated when they received their personalised card in the mail. In return, Batelco received over 55,000 calls from people showing their appreciation. Batelco began with an ordinary announcement, and ended up with 62,000 friends.

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

Mass printed direct mailers often feel cold and impersonal, and did not fit in with the celebratory nature of our announcement. The announcement had to be in keeping with the scope of the upgrades. The cards were individually mailed to each of Batelco’s subscribers over the New Year, making the package upgrades and the Greeting Card even more relevant to the occasion.