2016 Winners & Shortlists

Brief Explanation

When Vodafone extended its network to cover the entire Qatari desert, we wanted to target those who had previously suffered from the lack of it - campers who head to the desert every weekend to make the most of the cooler temperatures. Because of existing negative perceptions, we knew that we couldn't just tell people the network had improved, we had to get them to try it for themselves. This idea targeted campers (non-Vodafone customers) as they approached Sealine, the most trafficked part of the desert. Brand ambassadors handed out 3-day use SIM cards, re-packaged as First Aid Kits, and handed these out to campers as they pulled up for the weekend, ensuring that our SIM cards got directly into people’s hands, and in a noticeable way.

Creative Execution

The campaign ran in Qatar over a four month period in TV, print, outdoor, and online. This direct marketing drive supported the launch. For this execution, we sent brand ambassadors out into the desert over weekends in October, the kick off of the camping season. The campaign ran to plan.

Results

In just one weekend, we got the desert talking. An unexpected result was that 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.