2016 Winners & Shortlists

Brief Explanation

Vodafone’s brand purpose is to empower everybody to be confidently connected. However, in Qatar, the brand launched before the mobile infrastructure was properly in place, leaving the customers who had flocked to it frustrated and rushing back to the competitor. Despite numerous attempts, the negative perception has remained ever since. Cut to 2015, and the largest infrastructure investment in Vodafone Group’s history was nearing completion, including full coverage of the desert. With customers weary of communications that delivered promises that failed to match their reality, we had to get people to try the product, to really believe in the change.

The Brief

The network coverage of the desert completed in October, which is the start of the camping season. This is when Qataris flock to the desert to set up campsites that serve as second homes to them over the winter. These camps come with volleyball courts, TV rooms, and kitchen facilities – a real home away from home. However, poor coverage in the desert has stranded many a camper and can be a big threat to safety. The brief was to officially launch the new Vodafone network, using the new desert-wide coverage as the proof of the strength of it.

How the final design was conceived

We knew that to really change perception we couldn’t just talk at people. We had to get people to actually try the network and experience the difference themselves. Through a package redesign, we reframed the significance of the SIM card. By encasing it in what appeared to be a hardcore, First Aid Kit, we communicated that a SIM that links you up to a strong network is the only thing you need to survive in the desert. People head to the desert to let loose and have fun, so we kept the execution lighthearted. But while we played on humorous ‘emergencies’ such as Instagram withdrawal, and late night gaming urges, everyone also understood the unspoken, real life saving importance of having full network coverage in case of a real emergency. We handed out the packs at popular entrances to the desert, intersecting campers as they headed out into the dunes.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

In just one weekend, we got the desert talking. The unique packs provided a great photo opp, encouraging campers to share selfies (on the new network of course), which increased brand visibility. Most importantly though, it got people to actually try the network again, and subsequently, to trust it. With a simple package redesign, we attracted people back to the product, and proved that the only thing you need to survive out in the desert is a network that works.