2012 Winners & Shortlists

The Campaign

In early December 2011 in Casablanca, Morocco, one of the top destination mall in the world and Africa's premier Mall was launched : Morocco Mall. The opening was supported by an extensive international Public Relations campaign designed to give global media exposure of the inaugural event in at least 17 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and North America. The objectives were to help invite top international VVIPs to the inaugural event and generate a broad range of coverage (broadcast, print, online - Trade, business, general, specialized industry/sector driven press). The strategy included a targeted multi-country approach and the development of tailored content designed to strategically position Morocco Mall and the impact of its opening on the Kingdom of Morocco. The results of this campaign far exceeded what was originally anticipated. International Superstar Jennifer Lopez accepted to make a guest star appearance and performed during the opening ceremony. The red carpet saw many international stars of high calibre and media attention resulted in an ROI of 39 times the investment, over almost 12 million Euros in PR value and over 700 million people reached with a geographic reach exceeding the original 17 countries to cover 62 markets worldwide.

The Brief

The goals of the Morocco Mall international PR launch were to: - Position Morocco Mall as THE launch of the year - Establish Morocco Mall as the first and only retailtainement destination mall in the Mediteranean and African Region The objectives were two-fold : - Grasp top international media attention - Provide support for international celebrities and VVIPs attendance for the inaugural event on December 1 The core media target was comprised of influential international journalists from all categories: TV, news agencies, business, general news, fashion and lifestyle, travel and trade press. Final audience is travellers and Moroccan residents abroad.

Results

The success of Morocco Mall’s international PR campaign speak for themselves: a. Performance of superstar Jennifer Lopez influenced by the agency who found the right arguments to help convince that this was not a commercial launch but a historical moment for Morocco b. The media relations campaign exceeded the objectives set: i. A geographic coverage span that exceeded by +364% the original 17 markets targeted, totaling coverage in 62 countries worldwide ii. Over 1,025 clippings (broadcast, print, online) generated just over 3 month-period iii. 99 % of coverage generated thus far is neutral or positive and positions Morocco Mall as the TOP retailtainment Mall in Africa iv. 112 influential journalists accredited for the opening v. The coverage achieved generated a PR value estimated at almost 12 million Euros and a reach of over 700 million people for a return on investment ratio evaluated at 39-fold the fees invested

Execution

This exciting PR campaign was a real challenge as no communications could be initiated before October 24th due to client constraints : no ground work was possible… The Agency therefore had to adjust planning on an ongoing basis and deployed the ambitious launch phase in just one month: - Official announcement of opening date - Inviting and securing attendance of over 100 international journalists on a media trip for the inauguration, and managing travel and logistics requirements - Provide an ongoing flow of information and releases to publicize Morocco Mall differentiators An international PR hub and in-country press offices were set up to ensure direct dissemination and pitching of news releases in a timely manner. A digital gallery was created to facilitate the dissemination of video segments and official pictures. From December 5 the post-launch phase has focused on pitching and securing further opportunities (TV reports and features).

The Situation

2011 was a pivotal year in North Africa and the Middle East. As the Arab spring was blooming in the region and generated questioning on the economic situation and the prospect of stability and growth for some countries, Casablanca and the Kingdom of Morocco held their breath waiting for the unveiling of one of the biggest-scale and most ambitious development projects in Africa and the Mediterranean: The opening of Morocco Mall scheduled for early December 2011 - the concretization of a 4-year development designed to build one of the top destination malls in the world.

The Strategy

The strategy was based on a targeted multi-country approach and the development of tailored content designed to strategically position Morocco Mall and the impact of its opening on Morocco on the international scene. Messaging was consistently and systematically repeated throughout the campaign to clearly position Morocco Mall as the first and only destination mall in the Mediterranean and Africa. To counter any potential negative stories, emphasis was put on the positive economic impact of the project for the Casablanca region. The campaign was initially structured around 3 phases: - The launch phase aimed at generating momentum and interest in Morocco Mall ahead of the opening - The Bang phase around the opening focused on the experimentation of Morocco Mall by top influential journalists with a 3-day intense media trip with media conferences, interviews, and footage opportunities - The post-launch phase aimed at maintaining the buzz and securing ongoing coverage