2015 Winners & Shortlists

The Brief

Apple and Samsung dominate the mobile market in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Sony has quietly improved its products so much they’re now arguably better. But to win “share of pocket” vs. iPhone and Galaxy, Sony first needed to win “share of desire” by repositioning itself as a brand that people really wanted to spend time with. So when they launched Xperia Z3, the first ever fully waterproof range of smartphones and tablets, we saw an opportunity. THE WORLD’S FIRST UNDERWATER STORE let us highlight this unique feature in a way that turned potential customers into Sony fans.

Creative Execution

The world’s first underwater store was not only a perfect fit for the Xperia Z3’s pioneering waterproof feature, its unique concept created an emotional connection to the brand that helped us win new fans. By inviting media and key influencers to visit the store and share their amazing experiences with millions of viewers and followers, we quickly spread the idea across the Middle East and the world beyond that Sony was a brand that was innovating – and that Xperia Z3 was a product worth owning.

Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective.

While the world’s first underwater store was open to members of the public, we also invited a selection of media and key influencers to visit the store in order to amplify publicity. We wanted them to share their incredible experiences and amazed reactions with the world, which would earn us the attention of millions of potential customers.

Results

Our response rate was 98% (only one recipient didn’t come). From these selected media and key influencers, our story spread to over 80 countries with articles in Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Wired, Gizmodo, GQ, CNN, and T3. Our Internet film earned over 5.25 million views, and our Twitter followers increased 21%. Total earned media was over $4.5 million. Within a month brand preference was up 4 points, and our brand sentiment score jumped to 91% positive (compared to a Sony global average of 40%). And best of all, Xperia sales increased 115%.