Branded content is still new to the region but is gaining popular. It may have initially been used as a “cost-effective” solution for brands with small budgets, but now bigger brands have understood the benefits of the right content to connect with people through real and honest story telling. Many brands’ approach to branded content tends to be rather contrived. Because they cannot easily test their content they tread cautiously, going with safe content.
For many, branded content is considered supporting material to traditional media and cannot stand on its own.
In the region certain topics are considered inappropriate and are quickly censored depending on the regulations of each country, leading to restrictions on what can be aired on TV.
Results
Everyone knows NESCAFÉ Red Mug but the brand challenge is low consumption. So, we needed to give people a reason to have their morning cup of coffee every day.
People drink coffee to wake up, but what do they wake up for?
A seemingly simple question, yet we found proof that answering this question can improve quality of life, and enhance longevity.
Yes, proof. In a small island called Okinawa, north of Japan. Okinawans have a word they live by: Ikigai, which translates to “the reason you wake up for in the morning”. Always knowing their reason has made Okinawans some of the oldest, healthiest and happiest people.
Through the campaign, we invite people to answer the question “What do you wake up for?” and to take a few minutes to focus on it, awakening their purpose with a hot, tasty cup of NESCAFÉ coffee.
We launched the campaign with the Ikigai online documentary. The video ends asking viewers “What do you wake up for”, inviting them to engage through #IWAKEUPFOR.
An integrated campaign followed:
• PR and social media created conversation pieces around the ikigai concept and the importance of awakening your purpose.
• An innovating sampling with two "twitter booths" (UAE and Saudi): people were simply asked to answer the question "what do you wake up for?" using #IWAKEUPFOR to be rewarded with free coffee in a tweet-customized cup.
• Online media and tailor-made retargeted content created intrigue to drive video views.
• Hygiene video content was created to immerse viewers through:
o 6 individual portraits of Okinawans
o A documentary depicting what people at NESCAFÉ wake up for, reflecting the brand’s commitment to the campaign.
• Outdoor & Radio drove engagement with the hashtag.
• Packaging and in-store drove visibility
The documentary video was launched online, telling the captivating story of the people of Okinawa (Youtube and Facebook). It was pushed through VOD and an online media campaign designed to create intrigue (teaser banners, takeovers, pre-rolls), to drive views to the videos.
With the Okinawa video as hero content, we developed further video content to immerse viewers into the campaign:
o 6 portrait videos of Okinawans
o A documentary depicting what the people who produce NESCAFÉ wake up for.
We launched a Tumblr page which viewers could reach through article targeting, where the videos also lived in a branded content ecosystem.
The campaign launches on February 24, so there are no tangible results yet. Client is heavily supporting it and we’ve received extremely positive reaction from the Nescafé global Business Unit which are considering the campaign to be rolled out as a global NESCAFÉ campaign.