The FMBE awards – my personal top100 (60-56)
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60 Sense, British Airways (2006, Brand Theatre)
However did Sense persuade BA into a cutting edge experiential idea – actors on the Heathrow Express talking in loud voices about how lucky they were to take advantage of checking in online, before breaking cover with the line ‘Have you clicked yet?’ and dishing out Z Cards. They did 3000 performances in a week.
Since this campaign ‘conversational advertising’ has become a grey area in legal terms. Not everyone following has applied the same clear reveal that BA and Sense did.
59 Elevate Retail, Musgrave (2009, Merchandising and Complaince)
A silver winner, following a split judges decision for gold, I was silently willing this entry to win. Why? Bacause it brought something absolutely new to the FM table, making it journalistically the far better story. This was a total reassessment of how Londis should merchandise its topselling products.
The audit Elevate ran surprised a sceptical retailer. The result after new planograms, a 27 per cent growth in the overall category and a 1.5 per cent improved margin, deemed by the retailer as “quite incredible.”
58 Traffik, Fosters (2009, International)
Autralia’s Traffik sailed to gold International success with a display of versatility that showed in store selling, a fab roadshow and a great PR stunt.
Fosters was the stunt. When asked to create a fun show in the stadium to activate Foster’s sponsorship of the big Aussie Rules finale.
Traffik threw out the ‘in the stadium’ part of that request and instead staged an Aussie Rules game in freefall from an aeroplane using two parachute teams a weighted ball and tumbling goalposts.
If you ever need to move the marketing goalposts, ask Traffik.
57 Service Innovation Group (SIG), EDF Energy (2006 Direct Sales)
In 2005-6 selling utility contacts, once a boom activity for commission led field sales teams, was a miserable job. Agencies that were reliant on selling were resigning clients, or going to the wall.
Selling against other rostered agencies for EDF, SIG managed to use its IT dynamically to be in the right place in the right time with the right person. Outselling the other agencies was one sign pleasing aspect for EDF. Coming in over half a million under budget was even better.
56 Comment UK, Vodafone Ireland (2006, Brand Theatre)
2006 judges were split by two controversial candidates, Sense and British Airways (see my number 60) won. This one, a guerrilla stunt, was second. Comment didn’t care which won – they had provided the actors for both campaigns.
In this activity Vodafone Ireland promotions teams shanghaied the big rugby match with a comical haka and scatter performance. The video – which I can’t find right now – was the clincher. People loved the cheeky Irish guys, performing the Haka and undermining the major event sponsor, O2. The ground that the haka teams covered was astonishing, dishing out Z-Cards in massive numbers.
Could this still happen? Would Vodafone, let alone O2 allow it to pass? I don’t know. The streets going to major stadia are more protected these days.
I don’t think Comment lived on for long to tell the tale, but if anyone knows different, please let me know. They had some considerable ideas.
