2017 Winners & Shortlists

The Campaign

With a female-driven storyline, it was initially a tough sell to masses. The main topic, conversely, is controversial and has potential of attracting far more people with different interests, inspiring more to go to cinemas before opening week. In Egypt, having children outside of marriage is a deep-rooted taboo. Despite being torn between a divorcee or a spinster, Egyptian women still always long for motherhood. We ran a poll in a closed group discussing women interests openly; 80% of participants chose having a baby over a man if forced to choose. Borrowing the film's most controversial storyline, we launched an anonymous Facebook page under the film's name "I'm Buying a Man". An anonymous video showed a woman, sharing her dream of being a mother in return for a provocatively hefty sum that she showed, along with the page she created for that purpose to spark debate.

Creative Execution

On first day of video launch, viewership was pushed by two opinion leaders we recruited to enhance debate. Following, a few partner publications maximized reach of the video and topic among target audience who have not seen it. Monitoring and optimization of exposed target audience (Facebook analytics) helped widen circle of influence by pushing content through different publications according to audience interest. Supporting content was created based on newly sparked audience topics that arose around the campaign, keeping conversation going. The spark reached top local publications and prominent feminist opinion leaders that made the campaign a public affair. It even spilled over to regional publications! Four days later, we revealed the stunt on Egypt’s most watched evening show. Hostess Lamees AlHadidi hosted film actors, writer and producer to discuss controversial stunt and film topic. Post release, radio came on board to close circle of most consumed media outlets.

Teaser/Stunt: - Over one million video views across the page and media that carried the video independently. - Coverage in 29 local and regional publications including CNN Arabia and all top newspapers in Egypt - Feature in SNL Arabic - 12 prominent feminists and opinion leaders Post Reveal: - Coverage in 35 local and regional publications including Huffington Post, BBC Radio, Al Arabiya Channel and top-read Egyptian newspapers - Coverage in local marketing magazines discussing how this campaign threw a stone in the puddle of film marketing in Egypt and naming it guerilla marketing campaign of the year - Feature in Nogoum FM, top Egyptian radio channel in terms of listenership in most listened prime-time program - Feature in world renowned Abla Fahita show - Public opinion amplified related social topics movie arose, like strict adoption rules and declining marriage rates. Campaign gained earned media worth approximately 80,000 USD.

Film marketing in Egypt has ventured the digital and social realm, yet audience only get to see trailer and main poster adaptations with no deeper, specially created content to engage them. Media Lynx celebrates context of creativity that enhances and amplifies a game-changing channel strategy. I'm Buying a Man delivers on this objective by being the first Egyptian film campaign that engages audience through real world building long before film release. The stunt ventured into guerrilla marketing to be a first of its kind experience in Egyptian market.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

Primary target: women. Ones above 25 years old are likely to relate and anticipate the film; those between 16 and 24 posed real challenge. We gave them a ticket past the looking glass through world building. Secondary target: men. We gave them the adrenaline rush they seek in drama, only to drive them to our romantic/comedy, come Valentine’s. To orchestrate perpetuation, we rallied media outlets and opinion leaders to create two camps of debate and ensure conversation flow. They helped fuel reach for one day, followed by opinionated statuses, videos and articles to fan flames for two more days. Choices were based on appeal to different targets and interests to maximize reach. Marketing a movie that ambitious required all whistles and bells. Through a technically-crafted digitally-led campaign, we swished from social into print, to revealing on prime-time television to transform the campaign from an online fad into a public affair.