2018 Winners & Shortlists

VODAFONE - DON'T CHEER FOR EGYPT

BrandVODAFONE EGYPT
Product/ServiceWORLD CUP PROMO
EntrantJ. WALTER THOMPSON CAIRO, EGYPT
Idea Creation J. WALTER THOMPSON CAIRO, EGYPT
Production NEO PRODUCTIONS Cairo, EGYPT
Additional Company VODAFONE EGYPT Cairo, EGYPT

The Campaign

The more you talk about something the less likely it is to happen; a common belief even more so amongst Egyptians. With all Egyptians, even brands, speaking about football, we went against the tide. Following the insight of superstition, Vodafone would fearlessly tell the nation, “Do not cheer for Egypt. #Don’t_Jinx_it.” To lead a nation-wide movement, we would ask people to stop talking about football, at the only time they couldn’t. Regardless of one’s point of view, a bold claim will always start a conversation. All we needed was to transform it from a claim to an ideology. If a football player from the national team supports the movement and asks you not to cheer Egypt, would you listen? To turn it into a movement, we had to claim that the reason behind the jinx, and in order to qualify, we needed to stop talking about football.

Creative Execution

With a daring claim, came the obstacle of persuasion. We needed the correct ambassadors to be our main advocates for the movement. We handpicked individuals that are the stars of the season. From TV show hosts, to football commentators and even the national team players. If they supported the movement, wouldn’t you? In documentary form, their message was supporting that the football-conversations were the reasons behind the jinx, and to qualify, we needed to stop. It was essential for people to see the hashtag on outdoors across Egypt, and with an intrigued audience, we shifted the conversation online by releasing an official statement, stating what the movement’s code of conduct. With every brand fighting for a piece of the consumers mind, we took them by storm; brands overrode the hashtag, tuning heads and activating online conversations.

Communication Results: • 31,000,000 online views • 138,000,000 Impressions • 750,000 Engagements • Local and international brands overriding the hashtag and using it to promote their own products and services Business Results: • 45% of total base opted in for the value offered • Engaged subscribers increased by 35% • Incremental activity of base increased by 4%

Don’t cheer for Egypt. With a nationalistic and football-fanatic culture, this was Vodafone’s message to the nation. This wasn’t just a campaign, it was a nation-wide movement; one that didn’t go unnoticed. The concept was daring and contagious. Nonetheless, the controversy allowed it to diffuse and soar across countless mediums: online, offline and on-ground. Integration is not just the usage of multiple mediums; it’s dispersing the idea in its correct medium and allowing it to unfold naturally. And this is how the brand message transformed from a point of view to a nation-wide movement.

Not everyone likes football, but any Egyptian lives for its spirit. The nation-wide movement spoke to those who cared for Egypt to qualify, and that meant everyone. Our value was not segmented, it was a gift for an entire nation, regardless of their bundle. When cheering for the national team, nothing else matters. Age, social-class and gender became insignificant attributes, as we become a united front fueled by every step a player takes on the field. When all brands will encourage people to cheer for Egypt, the campaign used the same mediums to ask people not to. Not only would we communicate a different message, we would also communicate it in an unconventional way. For the movement to last, a journey was created out of the different means of communication that required consumers to follow the movement through different mediums. This would create continuous engagement and the desired cut-through, effortlessly.

Credits

Name Company Role
Mai Azmy J. Walter Thompson Cairo Managing Director
Ibrahim Islam J. Walter Thompson Cairo Head of Creatives
Amir Adib J. Walter Thompson Cairo Planning Director
Sarah Atabani J. Walter Thompson Cairo Account Director
Hazem Taher J. Walter Thompson Cairo Account Manager
Natalie Michel J. Walter Thompson Cairo Account Executive
Mostafa Hamza J. Walter Thompson Cairo Creative Director
Amr Abdelwahab J. Walter Thompson Cairo Copywriter
Belal Rabah J. Walter Thompson Cairo Copywriter
Mohamed Fathy J. Walter Thompson Cairo Head of BTL
Youssef Hammad J. Walter Thompson Cairo Senior Art Director
Eissa Mostafa J. Walter Thompson Cairo Junior Copywriter
Mohamed Shaker Freelance Director Director
Heba Hosny J. Walter Thompson Cairo Account Manager
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