2013 Winners & Shortlists

Results and Effectiveness

“Buffering TV” became the talk of the town instantly. Around 14 million people were exposed to the “buffered” frames. Social media was abuzz with more than 1000 mentions on social media. TE Live witnessed a whopping 590% increase in visitors during Ramadan with TE Data witnessing a 22% increase in their subscriptions.

Creative Execution

The idea of a “Buffering TV” was a first time ever in the history of television in Egypt. The opening and closing frames of the break (i.e. “we will be back” and “we are back”) with the original content were used to cut the audio and video as if it was buffering. This was followed by a message that TE Data provides you with a seamless streaming of your favourite content on TE Live with their superior Internet services. This was done without taking up the sponsorship of any content during a highly inflated month of Ramadan ensuring a position more premium than that of the sponsors.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

TE Data, the largest ADSL service provider in Egypt, wanted to promote their superior Internet services and their online portal TE Live during the holy month of Ramadan of 2012. TV viewership along with advertising clutter reaches new heights as watching TV becomes one of consumers' activities during the month of fasting. To avoid the ad clutter, audiences have increasingly shifted viewing their favorite Ramadan content online – break free! Only to face another frustration of a slow Internet with constant buffering. We needed a campaign that will change the audience perception of TE data being governmental, old and outdated with an approach that was distinctive and appealing. The idea of a “Buffering TV” was born with the insight of audience’s frustration with ads on TV and the buffer online.